Game Breeder Career Profile
- Career Name - Game Breeder
- Category - Business / Wildlife Conservation / Zoos, Aquariums, Theme Parks and Museums
- Skills Required - Life skills 40% - Career skills 60%
- Basic School Subjects - Biology, Business Studies, Language
- Minimum Required Education - College Diploma
- Species Worked With - Mammals
- Kind of Interaction with Animals - Direct
Do you want to work as a game breeder?
READ: This page helps you to read about the career and the info you need to decide on whether this is indeed the career you want to follow.
RESEARCH: Learn about the skills required and minimum subjects to enter this career, as well as the places where you can study further after school.
PREPARE: If you want to plan and prepare for your career, then join the OZT Community! Members have access to tools while chatting with other students and experts from around the world. Prepare to be amazed!
CAREER MENTOR
UPDATED:
18 June 2023
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What is a game breeder?
A game breeder is an expert that assists and co-ordinates the reproduction of specific or selected mammal species to protect the species and for profit. Most of the game is supplied to private or public game reserves, parks and zoos.
Game breeders may focus on breeding one or more species, for example:
- Antelope
- Bison
- Buffalo
- White-tailed Deer
- Wildebeest
- Zebra
Alternative Names
Game breeders are also known as:
- Game Farmers
- Deer Farmers
- Stud Game Breeders
- Wildlife Ranchers
Career Category
The Game Breeder career can be found within the following OZT career categories:
- Business
- Wildlife Conservation
- Zoos, Aquariums, Theme Parks and Museums
Game breeding location?
Although game breeding is not new, most of the game farms are in Southern Africa
Most bred species?
The most bred wildlife is Ungulates, bred for hunting, food and entertainment (zoos, parks)
What does a Game Breeder do?
Groups of animals a Game Breeder works with
What is the level of Interaction with the Animals?
- Directly - A person works directly with the animals with some form of physical contact at least once every few days
- Indirectly - The career doesn't require direct or physical contact at all.
With who does a Game Breeder work?
Besides working with all of the animals, Breeders will need to interact with other people while doing their daily tasks. The people might include fellow staff members (if they are employed by a large breeding company) or the public.
Fellow staff might include:
- Supervisors/Managers
- Operational staff, such as Human Resources, Finance and Maintenance
- Veterinarian
- Animal Nutritionist
What does a Game Breeder focus on?
The main focus of a game breeder is to mate selected species (mostly different kinds of ungulates) to supply the market or to help in the conservation of the species.
What are the daily tasks of a Game Breeder?
- Feeding and caring for the animals
- clean the enclosures
- talk with suppliers
- ensure registration is in place
- discuss budget with bookkeeper
- manage marketing campaign
- talk with prospective buyers
- arrange, prepare for and transport animals
Work Environment of a Game Breeder?
Where does a Game Breeder work?
Environment –
Game breeders usually register and set up their businesses at home, on a large game farm. Although the breeders will stay on the farm, most of their work will be outdoors.
Places of Employment –
Game breeders are mostly self employed and run a profit seeking business.
What is the average annual salary of a Game Breeder?
The average income of game breeders will be determined by a few factors, such as the scarcity of the species, the country wherein the business is registered. Selling prized game may bring in millions for the business.
Can a Game Breeder be promoted?
Advancement in the field typically depends on work experience and whether the breeder is elf employed or working for a breeding businesss. First-year assistant breeders often fit their training commitments around the daily work demands.
The levels of each promotion might differ from organization to organization, but generally are the following:
Intern -> Junior Breeder -> Senior Breeder -> Manager
What kind of difficulties can a Game Breeder face?
Start-up costs for a game farm is very high, as well as the running of the business. Death of animals also mean a loss in income. Most breeders will be required to work long hours, weekends and over holidays. Certain kinds of game may be dangerous to work with.
Future Growth and Possibilities
The game industry is growing steadily. Although most game farms are located in Africa (breeding with ungulates), other countries have realized the high income and have started their own breeding programs.
Which Skills are required by a Game Breeder?
The skills required for a career as a game breeder can be divided into two very important groups. The first is the group containing life skills, which are the core skills that are necessary or desirable for full participation in everyday life. The second group is career skills, or the specific skills required to allow a person to enter and operate effectively within a specific career. Some or maybe even all of the life skills can assist in strengthening the career skills, and they might even be the same for specific careers.
Life Skills
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Problem Solving
- Effective communication
- Interpersonal relationship
Career Skills
- Basic animal handling and care techniques
- Basic business knowledge
- Basic customer service skills
- Good health and physical fitness
- Basic computer literacy
Which Subjects must I have at School to help prepare for this career?
Biology will be a compulsory subject for further studies. Most College and University courses will need biology for admission.
A very good background in business is required to make game breeding a success. This is a very hard career, and knowledge is necessary to ensure a good business.
Language will be a prerequisite for college or University admission.
These subjects are the ones recognized around the world. The subjects you choose at school are important as they lay the foundation for further studies at college or university. While still at school, it’s also important to learn more about the animals you will work with, as well as gain some experience.
OZT has a list of various tertiary institutions where you can study further, after school. Each of these institutions also have their own Group page on OZT where you will find the exact subjects they require of you to have passed in school. Keep these requirements in mind, and discuss it with your school, guidance counselor and parents to ensure that you are prepared!
What will I need to Study to become a Game Breeder?
Minimum Requirements
The minimum requirements to become a game breeder is at least a College Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree.
Study Focus
Focus on studying towards animal science related degrees with majors in subjects such as animal management and biology. It is also possible to find jobs as breeders (breeding managers) by studying subjects related to breeding, artificial insemination and health (veterinary). Short Courses in wildlife behaviour, health, business setup and marketing are recommended.
Study Duration
Most Bachelor’s Degrees range between 3 and four years, while the duration of Short Courses can be between a few hours (online) to a few months.
Possible Career Preparation Paths
If this is your dream career that you want to pursue, then it’s important to plan the way forward.
Why is planning important?
To ensure that you understand the requirements for your career, and that you are always prepared for the next step on the road towards your dream. A Preparation Path is like your road map to where you want to be.
Possible Paths:
Training and Apprenticeship
Even though it is important to study to get into some of the animal caregiver careers, most of the skills you will need will be acquired through on-the-job training. This means that you will learn how to perform some of the daily tasks by actually doing it a few times and learning the steps.
In some cases entry level positions (or junior positions) require training sessions even before you are allowed to actually perform your job duties. These sessions are offered by the place of employment, after you have successfully applied.
Mentorship is also possible where you need to learn skills from a more senior person or expert. The more hands on careers, such as animal breeding might require mentors.
Join the Game Breeders Group iin the OZT Community to learn more and even interact with the educational institutions that will help you secure your dream career!
Average level of education of the people entering the career
Licenses, Certificate, Registration and Professional Associations
Certain animal care careers require some form of legal certification to prove that you can indeed do the work, and work with the necessary equipment.
Although not required by law, certifications may help workers establish their credentials and enhance their skills.
Learn more about requirements by joining the OZT Community.
Professional Associations
None added yet
Where can I study further?
All of the above information will help you understand more about the Career, including the fact that there are different paths to take to reach it. But if you are almost done with High School (Grades 11 or 12), you also need to start thinking about further studies, and WHERE you will study.
See the List of Universities, Colleges and Online Training Academies who offer courses towards animal care and training.
Do you want to Contribute?
Do you have information that you would like to contribute to this career?
Join the OZT community and career Group
Join us as a special member and learn more about becoming a game breeder.
Members of the Platform have special access to:
- Info on the best places where you can study (colleges, universities and online)
- Expertly designed advice to prepare you for the career, and links to places where you can gain valuable experience. For some career experience is necessary, otherwise you wont get the job!
- Top notch info on each of the different species you will work with
- Make friends around the world and share knowledge
- Compete and win points, badges, games, prizes and certificates. Be the best of the best, while you learn and prepare!
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