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Department of Animal Sciences

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Poultry Judging Team has Good Showing at National Competition

April 30, 2013

The Ohio State University Poultry Judging Team competed in the 66th U.S. Poultry & Egg Association National Poultry Judging Contest hosted by Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge April 10-12, 2013. Eleven teams of three to four members each competed. The Ohio State team included Abbey McCune, a graduating senior from Hudson, OH, majoring in animal sciences (pre-vet); Bradley Hogshead, a sophomore from St. Marys, OH, majoring in animal sciences; Heath Wilgus, a junior from Johnsville, OH, majoring in construction systems management; and Tyler Butler, a junior from Mt. Gilead, OH, majoring in agricultural communications. Michael Cressman, an animal sciences PhD candidate, coached the team. The National Poultry Judging Contest is the only contest in which the team competed this spring, and it is the first contest for Cressman as coach. Preparation for the event included a spring semester course and an intense couple weeks of workouts before departing for Louisiana. The contest included three judging divisions: production, breed selection, and market products. The team placed eighth overall and fifth in breed selection, which earned it a trophy as a top five team for that division. McCune and Wilgus placed in the top 25 individual overall finalists. Travel and accommodation of the poultry judging team were supported by the Department of Animal Sciences at The Ohio State University. Judging team jackets were sponsored by the Ohio Poultry Association.  Special thanks go to Scott Michalak, Trillium Farms Senior Pullet Manager, for providing both live birds and eggs for evaluation and for taking a genuine interest in the team; to Dr. Theresia Lavergne, Louisiana State University, who presided as the judging contest superintendent; to the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association for its sponsorship of the judging contest and awards banquet; and to emeritus professor Dr. J. David Latshaw and poultry barn student manger Daniel Stephens for all their help and support. The Ohio State Poultry Judging Team looks forward to competing in the National Collegiate Poultry Judging Contest hosted by the University of Arkansas autumn 2013.