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Livestock farm workers

How to become an Animal Breeder

Also called: Animal breeding worker

Breeds, raises and sells pets, livestock and other animals.

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start. Many breeders work for themselves, but most start by joining a company that breeds animals or working as an assistant to a self-employed breeder. Some pet shop and animal hospital owners also breed animals, and people sometimes start there. Many study through distance learning or at senmon gakko (vocational colleges) that train breeders before starting. To become a fully capable breeder takes at least about five years of practical experience, not only helping with mating and births and raising animals but also handling the unexpected, such as illness and accidents. Many breeders are self-employed, but to set up on your own and sell animals you must register as an animal handling business with the prefecture or designated city, which requires the animal handling manager qualification. To keep the qualification you must attend a course once a year. There are also inspections and guidance at least once every five years, although this varies by local government, checking the hygiene of the premises and animal areas and records such as breeding and sales records. Recently the courses have focused on infectious diseases and hygiene. They are also useful for sharing information between participants and are a good place to hear quickly about infections breaking out in different areas and think about how to respond. Related qualifications include certified animal nurse (aigan doubutsu kangoshi) and pet care manager. The job involves living animals, so a sense of responsibility and deep love for animals are essential. The breeder's final goal is to sell the animals they have bred and raised, so attentiveness to buyers and smooth communication are needed, and it is important that buyers trust you and feel at ease. To keep animals healthy, knowledge of types of disinfectant and how they work, pests, viruses and infectious diseases is also important. English is useful when buying animals or obtaining frozen semen from overseas.

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Animal Breeder?

No particular education or qualification is required to start. Many breeders work for themselves, but most start by joining a company that breeds animals or working as an assistant to a self-employed breeder. Some pet shop and animal hospital owners also breed animals, and people sometimes start there. Many study through distance learning or at senmon gakko (vocational colleges) that train breeders before starting. To become a fully capable breeder takes at least about five years of practical experience, not only helping with mating and births and raising animals but also handling the unexpected, such as illness and accidents. Many breeders are self-employed, but to set up on your own and sell animals you must register as an animal handling business with the prefecture or designated city, which requires the animal handling manager qualification. To keep the qualification you must attend a course once a year. There are also inspections and guidance at least once every five years, although this varies by local government, checking the hygiene of the premises and animal areas and records such as breeding and sales records. Recently the courses have focused on infectious diseases and hygiene. They are also useful for sharing information between participants and are a good place to hear quickly about infections breaking out in different areas and think about how to respond. Related qualifications include certified animal nurse (aigan doubutsu kangoshi) and pet care manager. The job involves living animals, so a sense of responsibility and deep love for animals are essential. The breeder's final goal is to sell the animals they have bred and raised, so attentiveness to buyers and smooth communication are needed, and it is important that buyers trust you and feel at ease. To keep animals healthy, knowledge of types of disinfectant and how they work, pests, viruses and infectious diseases is also important. English is useful when buying animals or obtaining frozen semen from overseas.

How much does an Animal Breeder earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥3,607,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Agriculture, forestry and fishery workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become an Animal Breeder?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 13% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Vocational college (専門学校) course: Animal care.

Will AI change the work of an Animal Breeder?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026