Specialty Livestock Jobs

While chicken, cattle, and hogs are the “big three” when it comes to raising animal for meat, there are also other animals raised in the United States for food. These include the following:

• Bison
• Deer
• Reindeer
• Elk
• Emus
• Ducks
• Geese

You can also work on a fish farm (check out aquaculture jobs here) or work with animals that are raised for work, milk production, or other purposes – horses, mules, donkeys, and goats all fall into these categories. With the exception of horse stables, these types of farms are rare, and there is also an agri-tainment aspect to many of these farms, which give tours, feature petting zoos, or have other activities for guests. People like to see exotic animals like reindeer and emus.

Working on one of these kinds of farms requires a unique understanding of the type of animal with which you’re working. The vast majority of these types of farms are extremely small, and they’re usually family-owned, so getting a job on one of them is harder. You can increase your chances of getting hired by having an agricultural-related degree or working for the farm seasonally before seeking a full-time job.

In many of these parts of the agricultural industry, breeding is very important, so this is another area you should consider if you want to get a degree relating to agriculture so that you can work on a livestock farm. While a typical animal can sell for less than $100 to another farm, one with good breeding can sell for several thousand dollars. Some animals with great ancestry, like a well-breed horse, can even sell for over a million dollars.

Further Reading:

Interested in Reindeer Farming?
Emu Farming Information
Raising Alternative Livestock Breeds
Duck and Goose…from Farm to Table
Commercial Elk Farming