Key Attributes Animal Breeders Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Olivia Williams

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Animal breeders select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. They may also require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. They may also involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.

The core tasks that animal breeders are likely to carry out include:

Feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.
Examine animals in order to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder, in order to protect animals from diseases.
Select animals to be bred, and semen specimens to be used, according to knowledge of animals, genealogies, traits, and desired offspring characteristics.
Treat minor injuries and ailments, and contact veterinarians in order to obtain treatment for animals with serious illnesses or injuries.
Observe animals in heat in order to detect approach of estrus, and exercise animals to induce or hasten estrus, if necessary.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that animal breeders would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for realistic work environments. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 95.29%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.6%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 81.6%