Raising, breeding, feeding, and protecting the animals that produce our food, plus the science behind it.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Animal Geneticist: Uses DNA and data to breed healthier, more productive livestock and animals. Typical pay $110k.
USDA Veterinary Medical Officer: A government veterinarian who protects the food supply and stops animal disease outbreaks. Typical pay $115k.
Poultry Veterinarian: Vet who protects the health of huge flocks of chickens and turkeys. Typical pay $145k.
Swine Veterinarian: Manages herd health on large pig farms for swine veterinary practices and pork companies, preventing disease and planning vaccines and biosecurity. Typical pay $145k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Livestock Nutritionist: Designs feed rations that keep cattle, pigs, and poultry healthy and productive. Typical pay $105k.
Cattle Rancher: Owns or manages a ranch that raises cattle for beef. Typical pay $87k.
Animal Scientist: Researches how to improve the health, welfare, and productivity of farm animals. Typical pay $78k.
Agricultural Extension Agent: A university educator who brings science-based advice to farmers and runs 4-H programs for kids. Typical pay $62k.
Dairy Herd Manager: Manages the health, breeding, and milking of hundreds or thousands of dairy cows. Typical pay $62k.
Livestock Auctioneer: Runs fast-paced auctions where cattle, horses, and other livestock are bought and sold. Typical pay $60k.
Livestock Embryo Transfer Technician: Collects, grades, freezes, and transfers embryos from elite livestock to surrogate mothers. Typical pay $60k.
Meat Scientist: Studies how to make meat safe, tasty, and efficient to produce, from carcass grading to food safety. Typical pay $78k.
Animal Science Professor: University professor who teaches and researches livestock and animal biology. Typical pay $100k.
Swine Production Manager: Runs a large hog farm, managing animals, staff, and production goals. Typical pay $72k.
Feedlot Manager: Manages a feedlot where thousands of cattle are fed before market. Typical pay $78k.
Cattle Hoof Trimmer: Trims and treats dairy cow hooves to prevent lameness. Typical pay $55k.
Rodeo Stock Contractor: Owns, breeds and hauls the bucking bulls and broncs used at rodeos, and is paid by rodeos for supplying the animals. Typical pay $65k.
Livestock & Meat Inspector: Inspects animals and meat to make sure they're healthy and safe, or verifies cattle ownership through brands. Typical pay $50k.
Sheep Shearer: Travels from farm to farm shearing wool off sheep. Typical pay $40k.
Ranch Hand: Does the daily work of caring for cattle and other livestock on a ranch or farm. Typical pay $37k.
Poultry Farm Technician: Raises chickens and turkeys or works in hatcheries producing chicks. Typical pay $36k.
Livestock Show Judge: Evaluates and ranks cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats at fairs and shows. Typical pay $50k.
Livestock Ultrasound Technician: Uses ultrasound to measure meat quality and check pregnancy in live cattle. Typical pay $45k.
USDA Animal Health Technician: Federal technician who helps stop livestock diseases from spreading. Typical pay $50k.
Dairy Milker: Milks cows in a dairy parlor and keeps an eye on herd health. Typical pay $36k.
Bull Stud Semen Collection Technician: Works at a bull stud, collecting and processing semen from top breeding bulls so farmers worldwide can use their genetics. Typical pay $45k.
Dairy Herd Improvement Field Technician: Visits dairy farms to sample every cow's milk at milking time, so farmers know each cow's production, health and butterfat. Typical pay $40k.
Show Cattle Fitter: Grooms show cattle for livestock shows: washing, blow-drying and clipping hair so each animal looks its best in the ring. Typical pay $35k.
Deer and Elk Farmer: Raises farmed deer and elk for venison, breeding stock, hunting preserves and velvet antler, under strict disease-testing rules. Typical pay $45k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.