Kansas State University Animal Sciences and Industry students earn the national title for the second consecutive year.
The Kansas State University Meat Animal Evaluation Team won national champion honors at the 2022 Collegiate Meat Animal Evaluation Contest hosted in Lubbock, Texas. The team was recognized April 26 following the three-day competition.
The event, previously known as the Aksarben contest, now rotates among host institutions across the country. The competition includes live market animal carcass predictions and pricing, breeding animal evaluation and meat judging competition, and it truly serves as a capstone judging experience for students with its incorporation of so many industry-applicable concepts.
The K-State team placed first in the breeding, beef, sheep, swine and market animal divisions of the contest. Individually, K-State had seven members place in the top 10 overall, including the top three individuals. Cody Knodle, Fillmore, Ill., was first; Macie Weigand, Monona, Iowa, second; and Colby Hough, Mount Airy, Md., third. See complete individual and team results below.
“The Meat Animal Evaluation contest is the most comprehensive test of students’ knowledge of the factors that impact production of meat from livestock. Many of the students that compete in this contest have already demonstrated excellence in animal and/or meat evaluation, and this annual opportunity for them to pull their knowledge, education and past training together makes this a true capstone experience for all,” says Mike Day, KSU Animal Sciences and Industry department head. “The capacity for all-inclusive consideration of product value as impacted by genetics and management is crucial to economic efficiency of meat production. Congratulations to our K-State students and coaches for their high level of excellence in this competition.”
The team is coached by Travis O’Quinn and Chris Mullinix.
As well as sweeping the team championships of several divisions, other team results include:
o Second-place team, Meats Division
o Third-place team, Communications Division
Macie Weigand, Monona, Iowa, Second, overall; fifth, beef; fifth, meats; and fourth, sheep
Colby Hough, Mount Airy, Md. Third, overall; first, breeding; first, market; second, sheep; and fifth, swine
Eric Sahagun, Arroyo Grande, Calif. Sixth, overall; seventh, beef; fourth, breeding; and eighth, market
Makenna Green, Arthur, Ill. Seventh, overall; third, market; and eighth, sheep
Lindsey Decker, Philo, Ill. Ninth, overall; 10th, beef; eighth, meats; and fourth, swine
Britten Coates, Baldwin, Kan. Tenth, overall; 10th, meats, and first, swine
Tessa Beeman, Hamilton, Kan. Fourth, beef
Emily Albright, Delia, Kan. Seventh, swine; ninth, meats
Jacob Schmeidler, Hays, Kan. Fifth, breeding
Steph Witberler, Marathon, Wis. Third, meats
Kami McComb, Pratt, Kan. Fourth, market
Jacob Johnson, Ruth, Miss. Sixth, market
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