Pig breeder
Also known as: pig breeders, pig specialist, pig rearer
About this occupation
Pig breeders oversee the production and day-to-day care of pigs. They maintain the health and welfare of pigs.
Essential skills and knowledge
- manage the health and welfare of livestock
- livestock species
- maintain professional records
- feed livestock
- assist in transportation of animals
- livestock reproduction
- provide nutrition to animals
- care for juvenile animals
- manage livestock
- control animal movement
- manage animal biosecurity
- assist animal birth
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Animal Breeders (O*NET 45-2021.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Purchase and stock supplies of feed and medicines.
- Select animals to be bred, and semen specimens to be used, according to knowledge of animals, genealogies, traits, and desired offspring characteristics.
- Examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Speaking, Science, Active Learning, Monitoring
US median pay: US$51,130 a year (2025), 1,330 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementVery important (3.5)
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyImportant (3.3)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.2)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
- Animal Caretakers
- Animal Trainers
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
- Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
- Agricultural Technicians
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
- Animal Control Workers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.