The Texas A&M Poultry Judging Team won the 57th Annual National Collegiate Poultry Judging Contest hosted by the University of Arkansas on November 5-7, 2023.

Back row, left to right: Kyle Frank '24, Head Coach Brett Meisinger, M.S. '22, Kirby Richardson '26, Naomi Boysen '25; front row, left to right: Assistant Coach Cheyenne Pinkerton '26, Camryn Wilder '25, A'mya Hodges '25
Back row, left to right: Kyle Frank '24, Head Coach Brett Meisinger, M.S. '22, Kirby Richardson '26, Naomi Boysen '25; front row, left to right: Assistant Coach Cheyenne Pinkerton '26, Camryn Wilder '25, A'mya Hodges '25

Often times judging team members get their start judging poultry through 4-H and FFA, then once attending Texas A&M take the POSC 304: Judging course to try out for the team.

The class focuses on training students in selection standards for meat and egg strains of poultry, grading standards for egg and live and ready-to-cook poultry. These skills can translate to future careers related to quality assurance, welfare, research and development, and even 4-H and FFA poultry specialists. The three-credit course meets three times a week, however students interested in competing on the travel team will meet outside of class for additional practices at the Poultry Science Research Center. It is also common for students in the class to officiate or assist with junior market poultry shows at county fairs or major stock shows and 4-H and FFA poultry judging contests. There is tremendous support from local commercial poultry companies who help source products and birds for the students to work with.

The travel team consists of the top five team students from the course, with the top four students competing in the contest, and the top three scores counting as towards the total team scores. The judging team competes in one national contest each semester.

This particular contest was a two-day contest comprised of two divisions. The first day students evaluate 10 classes of live birds, where students select breeder broilers and turkeys for their potential to producer the largest market offspring. They also judge past production hens and layer pullets for their body confirmation and production abilities. The second day covers USDA grading standards for read-to-cook broiler carcasses, turkey carcasses, and eggs. Egg grading includes candling for interior quality and visual evaluation of exterior eggshell quality and broken-out eggs.

Results

Team Awards:
• High Point Team Overall
• 1st Place Division 1: Egg Production
• 3rd Place Division 2: Meat Production
Individual Awards:
• Naomi Boysen- High Individual Overall, 1st Place Division 1, 3rd Place Division 2
• Kirby Richardson- 4th High Individual Overall, 4th Place Division 1, 6th Place Division 2
• Camryn Wilder- 5th High Individual Overall, 2nd Place Division 1, 7th Place Division 2
• Kyle Frank - 8th High Individual Overall, 5th Place Division 1, 10th Place Division 2
• Amya Hodges- Alternate

Texas A&M Judging Team member evaluates a carcass
Texas A&M Judging Team in Fayetteville Arkansas at a Tyson facility
Texas A&M Judging Team member evaluating eggs