UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A team of students from Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences finished second overall at the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association National Poultry Judging Contest, held last month at Louisiana State University.

Penn State's team consisted of Amanda Goddard, an agricultural business major from Clements, Md.; Andrew Herr, an animal science major from Millersville; Megan Lighty, an animal science major from West Chester; and Robyn Wirth, an animal science major from Orefield. All four students minor in poultry and avian science.

Teams from 12 colleges and universities competed in three divisions: production judging, breed selection, and market products judging. Competitors must demonstrate their ability to select the breeders that will produce the most eggs and the offspring that will produce the meatiest carcass most efficiently. Contestants also are judged on how well they have mastered U.S. Department of Agriculture rules and regulations governing the grading of eggs and poultry carcasses.

The students prepared for the competition through a rigorous training program and by enrolling in a 14-week poultry science course.

"This contest covers the entire production process, from the breeder to the consumer," says Phillip Clauer, senior extension associate in poultry science who co-coached the team with Dirk Wise, manager of Penn State's Poultry Education and Research Center. "The students must show they understand how to select production animals that will result in products consumers want. These concepts are not just for this contest; they will help the students when they enter the industry after graduation."

Texas A&M University was first place overall, followed by Penn State, Louisiana State University, University of Arkansas and West Virginia University.

In addition to taking second place overall, the Penn State team finished second in breed selection, fourth in market products and tied for fifth in egg production.

Herr was high individual overall, high individual in egg production and third in breed selection. Lighty finished tied for fifth in market products, tied for 10th in breed selection and 13th overall. Goddard tied for seventh in breed selection, 11th in market poultry and 10th high individual overall.

The second-place team showing comes on the heels of a first-place finish by another Penn State team at the National Collegiate Poultry Judging Contest held last fall in Fayetteville, Ark.

"The combination of last fall's championship and this recent second-place finish is an indication of the quality of our students and establishes Penn State's poultry and avian science program as one of the top programs of its kind in the country," says Clauer.

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EDITORS: Phillip Clauer can be reached at 814-863-8960 or by e-mail at pclauer@psu.edu. To receive a high-resolution team photo to accompany this story, send an e-mail request to Chuck Gill at cdg5@psu.edu.

Chuck Gill Writer/Editor Phone: 814-863-2713 E-mail: cdg5@psu.edu