A method and system enhances automated management and breeding of animals. The animals are identified by system of radiotelemetric communication of identification data and location. When the animals are ready to be bred, they can be fitted with a heat cycle detection and transmission system for communication of the data in concert with the identification data. The system thus appropriately determines when an animal is ready to be bred so that it can be caught in a catch pen system having system controlled access gates. The animal's natural inclination to go to a bait is exploited so that upon such normal and routine movement to bait, such as water, the access gates can be selectively controlled to direct animals into a plurality of catch pens wherein they are somewhat segregated so that the inventory therein is generally associated by common optimal times for breeding. The system detects and monitors the animals within the individual catch pens and will signal a pen rider that a particular catch pen inventory should be forwarded to a pre-breeding sorting pen area, also including system controlled access gates for enhanced sorting of the breeding animals by optimal times for the breeding. Egress gates from the pre-breeding sorting pens are also system controlled for releasing animals to a breeding barn for technician assisted breeding. The system allows supplemented identification of each animal's data file with the relevant breeding information.