Dairy Farmer

Dairy farmers are responsible for the daily care and management of dairy cows.

Duties

The primary duty of a dairy farmer is to manage dairy cows so that they produce maximum quantities of milk. In order to accomplish this goal, dairy farmers may be involved with a variety of tasks including feeding, administering medication, managing waste, operating milking equipment two to three times daily, and other daily duties.

Some farms, especially small operations, may grow and harvest feed for their cattle on site. They may also breed and raise their own replacement heifers. Most farms have a staff to be supervised ranging from a few employees to several dozen, so personnel management skills are also of benefit to the dairy farm manager.

Dairy farmers work in conjunction with large animal vets to provide the best in herd health management, veterinary treatments, and routine vaccinations. They may also interact with animal nutritionists and livestock feed sales representatives as they create ration plans that yield maximum milk production levels.

The hours a dairy farmer works may be long, and night and weekend shifts are often necessary. The work generally begins before dawn each day. As is common with most agricultural management jobs, work occurs outdoors in varying weather conditions and extreme temperatures. Working in close proximity to large animals also makes it imperative that dairy farmer take proper safety precautions.

Career Options

Dairy farmers may be self employed or work for large corporate entity. There has been a steady trend in the industry towards large farms, with the USDA reporting an 88% drop in the total number of dairy farms (decreasing from 648,000 in 1970 to just 75,000 in 2006).

Some farmers, especially smaller self-employed producers, are part of cooperatives such as Dairy Farmers of America. Cooperatives are able to negotiate competitive rates as a group and have special access to guaranteed markets for their milk.

California is the largest milk-producing state in the U.S., so a large number of dairy farm positions are available there. Wisconsin, New York, and Pennsylvania are also large traditional milk producing states with strong employment opportunities.

Education & Training

A growing number of dairy farmers hold a two or four year degree in dairy science, animal science, agriculture, or a closely related field of study. Coursework for such degrees generally includes dairy science, anatomy, physiology, reproduction, crop science, farm management, technology, and agricultural marketing.

Direct, hands-on practical experience working on a farm with dairy cows is an important prerequisite for becoming a dairy farmer. There is no substitute for learning the business from the ground up. Most dairy farmers either grow up on a farm or apprentice with an established operation before venturing out on their own.

Many aspiring dairy farmers also learn about the industry in their younger years through youth programs. These organizations, such as Future Farmers of America (FFA) or 4-H clubs, give young people the opportunity to handle a variety of farm animals and to participate in livestock shows.

Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) salary survey indicates that farm and ranch managers earned a median wage of $60,750 annually ($29.21 hourly) in 2010.

A 2011 survey by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA/ERS) estimated that the average farm would bring in a net income of $82,800. This represented a 17% gain over the 2010 net income of $71,000 per farm.

The same USDA/ERS earnings report expected a sharp 57% rise in net profits for dairy producers despite rising costs for feed. This spike is primarily due to the steadily increasing gains in wholesale milk prices (at a rate of 20%). This sort of increase might explain SimplyHired.com’s average salary listing of well over $100,000 for dairy farmers.

Dairy farmers must deduct a number of expenses from their net profits to determine their final profits or salary for the year. These expenses include the cost of labor, insurance, feed, fuel, supplies, veterinary care, waste removal, and equipment maintenance or replacement.

Career Outlook

The BLS predicts that there will be a slight decline in the number of job opportunities for farm and ranch managers. This reflects the growing trend towards consolidation in the industry, as small producers are absorbed by large commercial operations.

Despite this decrease in the number of total jobs, industry earnings are expected to rise (based on steadily increasing wholesale milk prices over the past few years). During the next decade, the dairy industry should remain a reasonably stable and profitable farming option.

Egg Farmer - A Poultry Career

Egg farmers are responsible for the care and maintenance of laying hens used as part of an egg producing poultry farm.

Duties

Routine responsibilities for an egg farmer include cleaning and repairing cages, feeding hens, giving medications, treating minor injuries, monitoringbehavior, collecting eggs, evaluating the quality of the eggs produced by the flock, and other daily duties.

Another area of importance for egg farmers is effectively marketing the eggs that their hens produce to a variety of consumer outlets.

This marketing could involve sales made either directly to the public or to entities in the commercial chain of supply.

Egg farmers are also responsible for raising chicks for replacement stock and selling culled hens to meat producers. There is a continuous cycle of bringing new hens in when they reach production age, and removing older birds from the flock as their production levels decrease.

Poultry producers also may work with veterinarians to provide proper health care to their animals, especially with regard to establishing a vaccination program and treating flock illnesses as they arise. Animal nutritionists and livestock feed sales representatives may also contribute to developing nutritionally balanced rations for the hens.

The hours that an egg farmer works may be long, and work is often necessary on nights and weekends. Depending on the type of egg production system, work may occur outdoors in varying weather condition, or indoors in close quarters. Egg farmers must be prepared for the demands that they will face in either sort of setup.

Career Options

Egg farmers can work for large commercial operation or run their own independent family farm. Egg farms can have anywhere from a few dozen to many thousands of hens.

Egg farmers may choose from several management systems for their egg production operation. Free-range operations allow the hens to access open-air runs. Cage based operations are more cost efficient, allowing a greater population density and increasing the ease of egg collection. Some producers run organic egg operations, which feature free-range conditions and heavily restricted use of antibiotics and additives.

Education & Training

A growing number of poultry farmers hold a two or four year degree in poultry science,animal science, agriculture, or a closely related area of study. Coursework for such degrees can include poultry science, animal science, anatomy, physiology, reproduction, crop science, genetics, farm management, technology, and agricultural marketing.

Direct, hands-on practical experience working on a farm with laying hens is very important for aspiring egg farmers, as they can learn the business from the ground up. Most egg farmers grow up on a farm, apprentice with an established operation, or produce eggs as a hobby before venturing out on their own to run a large scale egg production facility.

Many aspiring egg farmers also learn about the industry in their younger years through youth programs. These organizations, such as Future Farmers of America (FFA) or 4-H clubs, give young people the opportunity to handle a variety of farm animals and to participate in livestock shows.

Salary

The salary an egg farmer earns can vary widely based on the number of hens kept, the level of egg production, and the success the farmer has in marketing their product to consumer and commercial markets.

Egg prices are expected to show a steady rise over the next decade. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA/ERS) projects that the price of a dozen farm eggs will rise from the 2011 rate (79.7 cents) to an estimated 86.4 cents in 2012 and to an estimated 93.6 cents in 2013.

Chicken manure may also be collected and sold for use as fertilizer. This can serve as an additional source of revenue for some egg farms.

Egg farmers must deduct a number of expenses from their net profits to determine their final profits for the year. These expenses may include a number of costs for labor, insurance, livestock feed, fuel, supplies, veterinary services, waste removal, and equipment repairs or replacement.

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts that there will be a slight decline in the number of job opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers over the next decade. This is due primarily to the trend towards consolidation in the farming industry, as smaller producers are absorbed by the larger commercial outfits.

While the total number of jobs may show a slight decline, the USDA’s industry surveys indicate that egg industry earnings are expected to increase steadily. Through 2020, the egg production industry should remain a reasonably stable and profitable area of agriculture.

Reptile Breeder

Reptile breeders produce and sell a wide variety of reptile species (including turtles, snakes, and lizards) to pet or commercial markets.

Duties

The usual duties for reptile breeders include cleaning and maintaining habitats, providing food, monitoring animal behavior, administering supplements or medications, treating minor injuries, and keeping detailed health and breeding records. In egg laying species, breeders may hatch eggs in an incubator and closely monitor the young reptiles once they emerge.

Reptile breeders must be familiar with the specific needs of the species that they are producing (such as ideal temperature and humidity levels, nutritional needs, and proper husbandry techniques). A thorough knowledge of genetics can prove particularly useful if a breeder is seeking to produce certain desirable color variations.

Breeders should also be able to differentiate between young male and female animals so that they can provide the desired gender to their customers (if buyers should have a preference for their pet, or if they are seeking to use their purchases as breeding stock when they reach adulthood).

Reptile breeders must operate their breeding operations in accordance with any applicable state or local regulations, and these rules can vary from one place to the next. Some states completely restrict breeding or owning certain reptile species, or they may require special permits before any breeding is allowed. It is wise to investigate the rules in your area before starting a reptile breeding business.

Career Options

Reptile breeders can specialize by focusing on a single species of interest. Popular areas of specialization include breeding varieties of turtles and tortoises, snakes, or lizards.

Many breeders narrow their focus even further by becoming experts at producing one specific breed within their species of choice. For example, a chameleon breeder may choose to specialize in producing veiled chameleons, panther chameleons, or Jackson’s chameleons.

Reptile breeders can operate a small pet breeding operation or breed for national commercial level production. Some breeders use webpages to advertise their animals to a large audience and offer cross-country shipping. It is also possible to market animals to museums, zoos, and animal parks.

Education & Training

While no formal education is required, most successful breeders are well versed in all aspects of reptile care and husbandry. Many reptile breeders do hold a degree in a field such as animal science, animal reproduction, or biology. Coursework for such degrees generally includes the study of subjects such as anatomy, physiology, reproduction, genetics, nutrition, and behavior.

Some reptile breeders learn through practical experience with the animals they keep as pets. Others, such as professional herpetologists or animal researchers, breed reptiles either as a hobby or as part of their research projects.

Salary

The total yearly compensation for a reptile breeder can vary widely based on the rarity of the species they produce, the number of offspring that are produced per litter, and the retail value of each surviving offspring. Reptiles can be sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars if they are of an uncommon or highly prized variety. Animals with rare body color variations are particularly sought after by collectors and breeders.

Reptile breeders must factor in the costs of doing business, especially the costs of maintaining breeding stock and appropriate habitats, when calculating their yearly income. Reptile breeders may spend a considerable amount of money on items such as UV lights, heated rocks, humidifiers, terrariums, lighting, food, supplements, andveterinary care.

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not separate out reptile breeder earnings from the category of animal breeders, the 2010 BLS salary survey reported that animal breeders earned a mean wage of $35,620 (reflecting a mean hourly wage of $17.13). SimplyHired.com cited an average salary of $39,000 for animal farming & breeding careers in January of 2012.

Many part-time or hobbyist reptile breeders maintain a full time job in another field while supplementing their income with the profits earned from selling reptiles. Part time breeders generally earn a smaller salary for their reptile breeding endeavors than full time participants in the industry.

Job Outlook

Reptiles have become extremely popular pets in recent years, and that trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The market for reptiles has shown continued strength, with collectors and breeders demonstrating a willingness to spend top dollar for quality specimens despite downturns in the economy.

Breeders who take the time to establish a reputation for producing quality reptiles should continue to find demand for their animals as pets and replacement breeding stock.