The University of North Georgia (UNG) finished fifth overall in the 76th annual Ted Cameron National Collegiate Poultry Judging Contest, which was held April 2-4 at Mississippi State University.

UNG also took fourth place as a team in the market products category and fifth place in the breeds portion of the event.

The USPOULTRY Foundation sponsored the competition, in which students judged a variety of live birds, identified breed defects and evaluated market products such as eggs, parts and carcasses according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.

UNG's team consisted of April Cook, Grant Justus, Devin Self, and Conner Watson. Additionally, students Jacque Conner and Alyssa Foster, who previously participated, returned to help coach the team and attended the contest. Dr. Linda Purvis, associate professor of biology, coached the team.

Cook, a freshman from Toccoa, Georgia, pursuing an associate degree in agriculture-avian biology, said she wasn't surprised the team performed so well.

"I felt very well-prepared. We've been practicing since day one," Cook said. "I have almost a year of hands-on experience."

Purvis was grateful to see the payoff for her students.

"They all worked really well together as a team," Purvis said. "I was very proud of how they all put in the effort and time and worked really hard."

In addition to the competition element, students were able to connect with employers in the poultry industry at a crawfish boil on the first night in Mississippi.

"It's great to connect with people in the industry and get your name out there," Self, a freshman from Hull, Georgia, pursuing an associate degree in agriculture-poultry science, said.

Watson, a freshman from Watkinsville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in agriculture-poultry science, was happy to have one last time to compete on the national stage after taking part in poultry judging competitions since fifth grade. Students are allowed to compete at a total of two national events where their score counts toward the team total while in college.

Watson said UNG has helped him get a better idea of how his skills might fit into the poultry industry. He is thankful for the connections he has made.

"I've gotten to see so many things in the industry early in my time as a student," Watson said.