OSU Set to Compete at the National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Oklahoma State University Meat Animal Evaluation Team members are set to compete in the National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest April 2-4 in Manhattan, Kan.
Members of the team are enrolled in a certain course this semester, said Blake Bloomberg, OSU Livestock Judging Team head coach. The course is dedicated to practicing for the National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest, Bloomberg said.
Gretchen Mafi, OSU meat science professor, and Bloomberg are the Meat Animal Evaluation Team coaches and prepare members of the livestock and meat judging teams to compete each year, he said.
“A member of the team in 2015 set the record high score at the competition, and I plan on breaking that record with this year’s team,” Bloomberg said. “After the success my livestock team has had, combined with a few meat judging specialists, I believe we are fully capable of that.”
Mafi, said she has coached various OSU meat science teams since 2006. Mafi said one of her teams from OSU continues to hold the record at the National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest.
A different university sponsors the NMAEC each year, with Kansas State University holding the event this year, Mafi said.
Members of the team will participate in a three-day contest consisting of live animal evaluation, meat evaluation and a communications division, Mafi said. The three divisions are spread out over a few days with an awards banquet Tuesday night to conclude the event, she said.
Throughout the contest, members use multiple formulas and charts to estimate rib eye/loin eye area, fat thickness, yield grade, quality grade, prices of the carcass and other variables that contribute to consumer’s values, Mafi said. The ultimate goal is deciding what is more appealing to the consumer, she said.
“I think this year’s team shows extreme amounts of determination,” Mafi said. “They should have a decent shot at winning another national title if they keep up the persistence and hard work.”
OSU has been successful at this contest before, and only hopes to continue their success with a win in Kansas this week, Mafi said.
Mafi and Bloomberg have been coaching this team together for a few years, and with the livestock judging team’s recent success, team members and coaches are in search of another national title, Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg said he requires his livestock judging team members to participate because he believes it helps them understand the true value of raising livestock and how the principles of livestock judging tie together and apply to the real world and the animal’s end value.
“Doing this activity requires my team members to think about the significance of these parts of an animal, and I think this is the ultimate way to understand more about livestock and expand their knowledge on the industry and judging alike,” Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg said his team members are eager to continue their winning streak since this will be team members last spring contest. Members will not compete in another contest until they return for school in the fall, he said.
Layna Bond, a team member and an animal science junior, said members have been working diligently to prepare for this contest.
“The majority of my team has never competed in a meat animal evaluation contest,” Bond said. “I competed in junior college, so I have some previous experience.”
Bond said team members have been brushing up on their knowledge about sheep, swine and cattle to bring another national title back to Oklahoma State University.
“With the contest being at Kansas State University, I am ready to show them and the rest of the teams that OSU is here to win,” Bloomberg said. “We have been known as the underdog recently, and there is no doubt in my mind we will prove them wrong.”
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