Meat Judging Team
The Ohio State University Meat Judging Team is an educational and competitive extracurricular activity that competes on a nationwide basis. The meat judging program complements student education in agriculture through teaching how the final end product is evaluated, fabricated, and marketed. Furthermore, meats team members are exposed first hand to numerous segments of the livestock and meats industry across the U.S. Team members gain skills in observation, logical thinking, and communication.
Collegiate Meats contests consist of several competition categories. Judges place ten classes of beef, lamb, and pork carcasses, and a wholesale cuts class place according to the trimness, muscling, and quality of the cut. There are also classes on retail meat cut identification for beef and lamb, yield grading of beef carcasses, and oral reasons.
Students interested in becoming a member of the Meat Judging Team need to enroll in ANSC 305, Meat Animal and Carcass Evaluation, to learn about the factors that influence value of meat animals, carcasses, and wholesale cuts in accordance with recognized grading standards. Upon completion of the class, any student wishing to become a member of the team simply attends practices and contests during the following Autumn quarter.
The Ohio State University has had an intercollegiate Meat Judging Team since 1928. The current team competes at six contests annually, beginning with the Southeastern in Louisville, Kentucky, and concluding with the International Meat Judging Contest in Dakota City, Nebraska, in November. OSU teams won the National Contest in 1932 and 1947.
For more information contact: Dr. Henry Zerby
Spotlight
“I chose to be a part of the meats judging team because I had taken the Animal Sciences 305 Meat Evaluation course with Megan Nielson and became interested in the meat industry. The judging team provided me with time management skills, along with self discipline and the ability to work in a fast-paced and challenging environment. There were a lot of long hours in the meat cooler, but I miss the excitement and wish I could do it all over again!The team also provided me with networking opportunities, which lead me to Cargill Meat Solutions as a potential employer.” Lindsey Raubenolt, Senior
“I chose to be on the meat judging team in the fall of 2010 to gain experience and knowledge. Being on the team helped me to gain more knowledge about the meat industry and allowed me to travel the country competing against teams from other universities.” Brett Kneeskern, Senior
“I entered CFAES with the intent of one day being on the Meats Judging Team. It was a goal I set for myself back when I was competing in the Meats CDE as an FFA member. I made great friends, traveled to parts of the country I had never been, saw parts of industry that most never get a chance to. It made me a more knowledgeable producer/consumer. Some of my favorite college memories were made being all bundled up in a meat cooler far away from home.”