Colorado State Meat Science

The Colorado State Rams had so much fun competing in the Meat Science Quiz Bowl competition today hosted by the 78th RMC in Columbus, OH! We had two teams compete in multiple rounds and undergraduate Allie Grande competed in the research poster competition as well! Members of the team include Alie Lock, Sammi Voeglein, Allie Grande, Spencer Jordan, Arjun Nair, and Ethan Hanson. Coached by Haley Robinson, and graduate students Amanda Ary and Lizzy Flanagan.

This team has been practicing 2-3 times a week since the beginning of March and they all showed true Ram Pride in their representation of Colorado State today. Now they’ll get to participate in a variety of reciprocal sessions and network with numerous professionals in the industry. Go Rams!

Don’t miss this featured session at the 78th RMC!
On Tuesday, June 24, Keith Belk of Colorado State University will present “The Societal Role of Meat & Livestock: Science, Misinformation, and Public Responsibility,” sponsored by Cargill.

Building on discussions at a 2024 global summit and "The Denver Call for Action", Dr. Belk will address the appropriate use of science, challenges in public understanding, and the shared responsibility to base decisions on sound evidence.

Learn more: https://meatscience.org/events-education/rmc

AMSA student members: Vote for our very own Allie Grande! Go Rams 🐏

The Colorado State University Ram Meat Judging Team finished the spring 2025 meat judging season off at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo this past week!

This team has put in countless hours in the coolers this semester working so incredibly hard and they have improved every step of the way. They’ve sacrificed all of their Saturdays this year for practices and contests, spent more time on the road then at home, worked hard in their classes, supported one another, and always ensured Colorado State University was well represented.

Out of 18 teams the team tied for 5th in lamb judging receiving 6th, tied for 6th in beef judging receiving 8th, and got 8th in placings. The team was 15th out of 18 teams total.

Team members include:

Allison Stone - 3rd high individual in placings (dropping only five points) and 7th in beef judging!

Megan Trahan - Only dropped 4 points on the quality grade rail!

Bristol Decker - highest reasons score on our team with a 47 on the beef ribs class!

Aida Terrizzi - tied for 11th in lamb judging with a score of 141!

Bianca Gomez - our team’s high scorer for this contest and a perfect score on the quality grade rail!

Karli Barit - tied for 11th in specs with a score of 97!

Coached by Haley Cole Robinson

Many personal bests and team goals were achieved at this contest! Thank you to JBS in Greeley for always allowing us in to grade, Texas A&M for putting on such a great workout, Martin Preferred Foods for hosting the contest, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for making everything possible!

The Colorado State Rams Meat Judging Team got back from the South Plains Meat Judging Contest this past week!

Members include Allison Stone (CO),Megan Trahan (CO), Bristol Decker (CO), Karli Barit (HI), Aida Terrizzi (CA), Bianca Gomez (TX), and spring 2024/fall 2025 judger Jacob Rybnikar tagged along to assist coach Haley Cole Robinson.

Results:
6th in pork judging (Allison Stone 4th high individual)
Tied for 5th in lamb judging (7th)
8th in placings
Top ten in every category and 9th overall.

Thank you so much to Tyson in Amarillo fort letting us into their facilities to beef grade, West Texas A&M for hosting great workout and to Caviness Beef Packers fort hosting the contest and providing a wonderful lunch!

The team just wrapped up their last Saturday practice of the spring season and is excited to head back down to Texas this week and compete at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo! Go Rams!

Last week the Colorado State Meat Judging Team competed at the Southwestern meat judging contest at the Fort Worth Stock Show!

Thank you to meat judging alumn Brenna Guimaraes for doing a lamb judging workshop with the team, Tyson in Amarillo for letting us into their facilities to beef grade, Texas Tech University for hosting a great workout, Columbia Packing Company for hosting the contest, and to everyone else who made the contest possible and supported the team!

Members include:

Megan Trahan (3rd high individual lamb judging and 4th high individual in placings)
Allison Stone
Bristol Decker
Bianca Gomez
Karli Barit
Aida Terrizzi

This team showed a lot of improvement and is looking forward to competing at the South Plains contest!

Congratulations to Dr.Keith Belk on receiving the 2025 Beef Quality Assurance Educator award at this years National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Cattle Con!

Dr.Belk has been with Colorado State University for 30 years, we are proud to work with a professor that has contributed to the industry significantly! Congratulations again!

The Colorado State Rams started the 2025 Meat Judging season at the National Western Stock Show contest today!

Thank you to JBS - Greeley for always allowing us into the beef plant, hosting us at their headquarters and for hosting the contest!

Thank you to Nebraska Beef for allowing us into their beef plant to grade, judge beef classes, and beef specs all week!

Thank you to our wonderful alumni Lauren Newman for giving us a tour of the Superior lamb plant and for letting us judge some lamb carcass classes!

Looking forward to seeing these students grow throughout the judging season!

Meat Lab Manager Kyle Harrington and Meat Judging Coordinator Haley Cole have taken over the ANEQ 101: Introduction to Animal Science labs for the week! Haley is covering meat evaluation, Kyle is doing a pork carcass /beef carcass fabrication demonstration, and employees of Ram Country Meats have been giving tours of the Global Food Innovation Center. 8 labs, over 200 students, and lots of fun!

See the below link for the Denver Call for Action.

The Denver Call for Action In October 2022, the Dublin Declaration of Scientists on the Societal Role of Livestock was initiated during the International Summit on the Societal Role of Meat, held in Dublin. The Declaration has since been signed by more than 1,200 scientists from around the world, each verified to hold relevan...