Artwork by
Dennis Murphy

For the students, by the students

Highly Unrecognized
CAFNR Cornerpost Staff, Mike Deering and Natalie Scherer

Judging programs are important recruiting tools for the University of Missouri. A successful intercollegiate judging program is well recognized within the state, provides positive exposure for the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and is an attractive incentive to high school students wishing to continue judging activities at the intercollegiate level.

Higher education has been criticized for stressing the importance of facts rather than reasoning. Educational skills learned through judging activities stress the preferred method of problem-based learning that instills greater information retention. Judging programs also aid in developing important career skills such as application of logic, critical thinking, decision-making, and communication skills.

Judging teams, in general, increase a student's confidence, critical thinking skills, and ability to communicate. Berg and Schaeffer (2000) reported that graduating seniors that were involved with a meat judging team obtained a higher cumulative GPA than a random sample of their university contemporaries.

Also, students involved in judging maintained greater retention within the university and had a higher graduation rate. The University of Missouri currently has a meats, dairy, and livestock judging teams.

Meats Judging

A meat judging contest involves the three main livestock species: beef, pork, and lamb. The morning classes are beef, pork, and lamb carcasses, one beef wholesale cuts class which can be either rounds, ribs, whole or short loins. The remaining placing class is a pork wholesale cuts class, which can be fresh hams or pork loins. On each of these classes, reasons are given (5 total). Also, the participants will quality grade 15 beef carcasses.

The afternoon classes are pork and lamb carcasses, beef carcass pricing, a beef wholesale cuts class, and a pork wholesale cuts class. In addition, they will yield grade 15 beef carcasses and evaluate 10 IMPS specification cuts.

In the spring of 2003 we competed in two contests, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Intercollgiate Meats Judging Contest, where we were 10th overall. The other spring contest was held at the University of Kentucky, at the Southeastern Intercollgiate Meats Judging contest. We were 6th in IMPS Specifications and Beef Grading, 3rd in pork, beef, and lamb judging, resulting in a 5th place finish overall.

In the fall we attend three contests, the Iowa State University Invitational Meats Judging contest (Ames), the American Royal (Emporia, KS), and the International Intercollegiate Meats Judging Contest (Sioux City, NE). We were 4th in pork judging, 6th in beef grading, and 7th overall at Iowa State. At the American Royal, we were 6th in beef grading and 10th overall. This weekend we wrap up the contest at the International. The winner of the International contest will be crowned the national champion.

The team consists of:
Matt Ryan, Milan, MO (Animal Science)
Jeff Anderson, Columbia, MO (Animal Science)
Gary Albertson, Wheeling, MO (Animal Science)
Nicki Brown, Ashland, MO (Ag Education)
The team is coached by: Gregg Rentfrow Asst. Coach Tracy Northcutt

Dairy Judging
In recent years, the MU's Dairy Judging Team has done surprising well with little recognition. The team has placed in the regional competition and is moving on to nationals.

"It's open to any university student. The majority of the students come from Food Science, since it's administered through our department and they have in interest in the field," said Rick Linhardt, director of the team.

This year's dairy judging team consists of Andrea Cole, Stacey Werr, Jeremy Calloway and Jaydeepsinh Chauhan, a graduate student. Sara Stokes is serving as the alternate on the team.

When competing, the Dairy Judging team judges milk, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, yogurt and butter.

The contestants travel to Illinois every year, where a regional competition is held every year. This contest is sponsored by Kraft. If the teams advance to national competition, it is held in conjunction with the World Food Expo in Chicago. In alternate years, the competition occurs in various parts of the U.S. or Canada.

"We even have teams in Canada, and occasionally from South Africa and South Central America," said Linhardt.

Over the years, the team has been very successful. In 2000, Dr. Marshall, who had been a long time director of the team, retired, there was not a team. In 2001, the team was revived and has improved each year. This year, the team has placed 4th in yogurt at regional and Andrea Cole placed 4th individually in yogurt.

Livestock Judging
When David "Chip" Kemp joined the department there had not been a team to represent MU at a contest for over a year. Since he came on during the middle of the judging season the decision was made to hold off and field a team starting at the beginning of the next judging year (January 2003). The team is presently approaching the end of their season.

The individuals representing MU on the 2003 Livestock Team have encountered a variety of situations along the way. Kemp said, "The team continues to work diligently to make themselves all that they can be. Their positive attitudes and resiliency is what has us looking forward to the last outing coming up very soon. These young people have paved the way for future teams here at MU. They have helped revive the program and have handled themselves honorably and as a result, subsequent teams and team alumni will look back at them as the springboard to the program's future successes."

The 2004 MU Livestock Team is currently gearing up to represent MU at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. "They are an exciting group with a great deal of potential. They are steadily preparing themselves for the work ahead and are eager to put themselves to the test," Kemp said.

Team results:
National Western Stock Show Denver, CO 11th
Iowa Beef Expo Des Moines, IA 9th
Houston Stock Show Houston, TX 13th
Purdue Block & Bridle Contest West Lafayette, IN 9th
Mid South Fair Memphis, TN 8th
World Beef Expo Milwaukee, WI 8th
Stockman Livestock Columbia City, IN 8th
American Royal Kansas City, MO 19th

Current team members are:
Jessica Bartholomew, Animal Science, Armstrong, MO
Crystal Buckner, Animal Science, Rolla, MO
Patrick Davis, Animal Science, Lamar, MO
Michele Koelling, Ag. Education, Hermann, MO
Cody Tebbenkamp, Ag. Education, Corder, MO

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