Career Explorer Farming, fishing, forestry
Human edge, steady
Animal breeders
Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 60% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +3.0% by 2035, slower than average.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $51,130
- Job growth to 2035
- +3.0%
- Openings a year
- 1,000
- People doing it (2025)
- 6,900
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Care for plants or animals
- Communicate with others about operational plans or activities
- Purchase goods or services
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Monitor health conditions of humans or animals
- Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas
- Maintain operational records
What the work looks like
- Feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.
- Observe animals in heat to detect approach of estrus and exercise animals to induce or hasten estrus, if necessary.
- Treat minor injuries and ailments and contact veterinarians to obtain treatment for animals with serious illnesses or injuries.
- Arrange for sale of animals and eggs to hospitals, research centers, pet shops, and food processing plants.
- Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder to protect animals from diseases.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as livestock farming operations increasingly emphasize new and improved breeding techniques.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, handHuman edge, steady, Index 72, +1.8%
- Driver/sales workersHuman edge, growing, Index 70, +7.9%
- Agricultural workers, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 83, +3.8%
- Food batchmakersHuman edge, growing, Index 85, +6.5%
Also known as: Animal Technician, Artificial Insemination Technician (AI Technician), Breeder, Dog Breeder, Artificial Inseminator, Large Herd Specialist.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.