Posted: May 14, 2018
The team placed third in the Market Product Division and were tied for third in Breed Selection Division.
Collegiate Poultry Judging Team, from left: Heather Menges, Katie Sondericker, Coach Phillip J. Clauer, Amanda Kulp and Hannah Sciubba.
Penn State's Collegiate Poultry Judging Team participated in the 71st USPOULTRY Foundation Ted Cameron National Poultry Judging Contest held at Louisiana State University in early April, placing fifth overall with twelve teams and 48 individuals competing.
They placed third in the Market Product Division and were tied for third in Breed Selection Division (fourth with a tie breaker).
Team members from Penn State's Department of Animal Science and their achievements were:
* Hannah Menges, Danville, PA: 10th overall, third in the Market Products Division
* Katie Sondericker, Attica NY: 13th overall
* Heather Sciubba, Newtown Square, PA : 18th overall and seventh in the Breed Selection Division
* Amanda Kulp, Halifax, PA : 19th overall and fourth in the Breed Selection division.
Phillip J. Clauer, Senior Instructor in Penn State's Department of Animal Science, coached the team.
Louisiana State University placed first; Texas A&M, second; Ohio State University, third; and University of Arkansas, fourth, 10 points ahead of Penn State. Other schools participating included Mississippi State University, West Virginia University, North Carolina State, University of Georgia, University of North Georgia, Iowa State University, and the University of Wisconsin, River Falls.
Dr. Terry Etherton, Head of the Department of Animal Science said, "Our students' achievement on the national level is a strong reflection of their hard work and dedication, and a tribute to the preparation provided by members of the poultry science faculty and staff. I congratulate them all."
Clauer said, "We are proud of the hard work these students put into preparing for the competition and for their success. The skills learned for the contest are invaluable as they prepare for a career in the poultry industry."
The students prepared for the competition through a rigorous training program as part of a 14-week poultry science course. To earn a spot on the Penn State team, they competed with fellow students during a 1800 point midterm exam. The competition allows students the opportunity to demonstrate how well they have mastered their knowledge of breed selection for meat production, egg production and purebred chicken defects as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture rules and regulations governing the grading of eggs and poultry carcasses.
Clauer points out that employment opportunities abound for graduates in poultry science. Anyone interested in a career in the industry should contact Clauer at (814) 863-8960 or by e-mail at pclauer@psu.edu.
The judging team received partial funding from the Office for Undergraduate Education "Student Activities Fund" to enable them to travel to this event.
