Iowa State’s meat animal evaluation judging team has returned from spring break as national champions for the second year in a row.

The team competed in the 35th Annual United National Collegiate Meat Animal Evaluation Contest March 18-22 in St. Joseph, Mo.

ISU took top team honors over the 11 other universities participating in the competition. Bill Platter, senior in animal science, took top individual honors out of 108 contestants.

Brad Skaar, team coach and associate professor of animal science, said the honors are a reflection of ISU and the animal science program.

“The contest is a really neat opportunity for students in agriculture,” he said. “It is particularly important to have a group of students who are class act.”

Platter said the contest is a good learning experience.

“It’s a contest that encompasses most aspects of the livestock industry, more than other judging teams,” Platter said. “It allows you to realize the diversity in the industry.”

He said participating on the team also has allowed him to work with talented people. He recommended participating in the judging classes to other students.

The meat animal evaluation contest involves beef, swine and sheep. For each species, contestants must complete breeding, market and carcass evaluations.

The final component of the contest is working together to analyze and present information on a current industry topic.

This year’s topic dealt with the veggie libel law and the recent trial involving Oprah Winfrey and the Texas beef industry.

ISU took first place in the meats, communications and market animal divisions. The team also earned first place in overall beef and sheep classes, while placing third in both the breeding animal division and overall swine classes.

Individual ISU winners included Derek Vote, senior in animal science, in the meats division and Heather Schreiber, senior in animal science, in the overall sheep classes.

In the last seven years, the ISU team has had four second-place finishes and now two first-place team finishes.