Hays FFA placed thirteenth in the livestock judging contest on Apr. 17.

The placements for team and individuals above fiftieth place are as follows.

Teams:

Senior team- Thirteenth

Greenhand division- Sixteenth

Individuals:

Senior:

Sophomore Monique William- Twenty-first

Sophomore Grace Redetzke- Forty-third

Greenhand:

Sophomore Emma Vredenburg- Twenty-fourth

“We judged eight classes of livestock animals,” sophomore Grace Redetzke said. “One red Angus bull class, one red Angus heifer class, one breeding ewe class, one market hog class, one breeding doe class, one market steer class, one Simmental or Angus heifer class and finally a Yorkshire breeding gilt class.”

Redetzke said the classes are judged differently even if the animals are the same species.

“If the animal will be used for market you obviously will want to look at their definition of muscling and how wide they are through their chest floor and their front because there will be a higher volume of meat,” Redetzke said. “For breeding animals you want them to be structurally correct because they will be having babies and it is hard for them to have babies if they aren’t wide about their rear and they can’t walk.”

Redetzke said the key to placing highly is to be educated on livestock and how they are judged.

“Another important factor is to ask questions during class when you are learning about livestock judging and to not just assume certain things,” Redetzke said.

21kboyle@usd489.com