COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M University department of poultry science judging team tied with Kansas State University at the recent National Collegiate Poultry Judging Contest.
This was the first time in the contest’s 37-year history that teams tied for first place at the contest, which was held Nov. 4-5 at the University of Arkansas. Both teams finished with 4,135 total points and tied on all tiebreakers. Kansas State won the team title last year.
Team members are Cheyenne Campbell, a junior from Humble; Michael Cross, senior, Farmersville; Jay Glueck, senior, Cat Spring; and Crystal Smith, junior, Nacogdoches. Christine Grabouski, a junior from League City, was the alternate.
Glueck was the second high-scoring individual, Cross was third, Smith was ninth, and Campbell was 10th.
The judging consists of two divisions, said Dr. W.F. Krueger, endowed professor and coach of the team. In the production and marketing divisions, students place production hens and pullets from the best to the poorest and grade the interior contents of eggs by candling, the exterior quality and cleanliness of egg shells, and broken-out eggs (the contents of eggs after they are broken open). All grading is done with U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.
In the breeder division, students place 8-week-old and 20-week-old broiler breeder males and females, 20-week-old male and female turkey breeders, and grade turkey and broiler carcasses.
Krueger said contests like this have several benefits. They teach students to take a set of facts and come up with logical and quick conclusions. They also give students who might not be able to compete in anything else an opportunity to compete in something, he said.
“I’m a great believer that success breeds success. If you become a good poultry judge, it makes the next step easier,” he said.
Texas A&M poultry judging teams have won 16 national championships in either this contest or the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association Collegiate Poultry Contest since he began coaching the team in 1983, Krueger said.
Dr. Jerry Daniels, lecturer in the department of poultry science, is the assistant coach. Kyle Schultze of Marion is the student assistant.
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