HOWARD — Seven members of the East Knox FFA recently competed in the Mt. Gilead Invitational Career Development Events at Marysville High School and the Union County Fairgrounds where they participated in three categories – Milk Quality & Products, Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Poultry.
The Milk Quality & Products team placed 14th in the event. Team members were McKenzie Schwartz and Joey Lively.
In the competition team members perform the California Mastitis Test on milk samples, identify cheeses and provide information on a cheese matrix, determine dairy versus non-dairy products with fat content, and taste for off-flavors in milk samples along with the intensity of that off-flavor.
In addition, they take a written test and complete problem solving questions.
The Dairy Cattle Judging team placed 22nd overall. Those team members were: Hayden Garman, Brayden Moran, and Alexia Wine.
In this event, it is designed as a hands-on experience to teach students how to select quality dairy cattle. Students will be evaluated on pedigree evaluation, sire selection, linear selection, linear evaluation, a written exam, placing classes, and writing class notes.
The Poultry team placed 11th and consisted of Marcus Dunn and John Chadwick.
In the event members judge classes of past production hens, broilers, and ready-to-cook broilers; grade eggs for interior and exterior qualities; identify broiler parts, determine problems with further processed poultry products, grade broiler carcasses, and complete a written test including calculation problems.
This team placed 34th overall.
The invitational competitions help prepare FFA members for the State Career Development Events which take place in the Spring at the Ohio Exposition Center in Columbus.