<p>Poultry Career Development Event</p><p>The poultry contest will consist of the following parts:</p><p>1. Eight broiler breeders for keep/cull.</p><p>2. Four past production laying hens.</p><p>3. Ten chicken and/or turkey carcasses and/or parts for quality grading.</p><p>4. Four carcasses for placing.</p><p>5. Oral reasons for laying hens or carcasses in alternate years.</p><p>6. Ten eggs on interior quality.</p><p>7. Ten eggs on exterior quality and evaluation criteria.</p><p>8. Ten further processed poultry meat products for evaluation.</p><p>9. Ten chicken carcass parts for identification.</p><p>10. Written Poultry Examination.</p><p>Event Descriptions: 1. Broiler breeders for keep/cull- Each participant will select the four best potential broiler breeders from a class of eight meat-type cockerels or pullets. The keep-cull birds may have trimmed beaks. Each participant will be permitted to “handle” the birds, as long as the birds are inspected in a professional and humane manner. Following this class, participants will have ten minutes to prepare oral reasons for presentation.</p><p>2. Past production laying hens- Each participant will place a class of four egg-type hens. The birds will be Single-Comb White Leghorns, or commercial strains of Leghorn-type (inbred cross). The birds may have trimmed beaks. Each participant will be permitted to “handle” the birds, as long as the birds are inspected in a professional and humane manner. </p><p>3. Ten chicken and/or turkey carcasses and/or parts for quality grading- Each participant will grade a class of ten ready-to-cook chicken and/or turkey carcasses and/or parts. Criteria for grading will be derived from USDA standards for chicken carcasses weighing two pounds to six pounds and for turkey carcasses weighing six pounds to sixteen pounds. Four categories may be used, including the USDA quality grades A, B, C and the category NG (nongradable). Participants may not touch any carcass or part; doing so will result in disqualification. If used, the shackle holding a carcass may be rotated to show the entire carcass. 4. Four carcasses for placing- Each participant will place a class of four ready-to-cook poultry carcasses. Criteria for placing will be derived from USDA standards for turkey carcasses weighing six pounds to sixteen pounds. Participants may not touch any carcass; doing so will result in disqualification. If used, the shackle holding a carcass may be rotated to show the entire carcass. Following this class, participants will have ten minutes to prepare oral reasons for presentation. 5. Oral reasons for laying hens or carcasses in alternate years- Each participant will present oral reasons for their placing of the class of laying hens or ready-to-cook carcasses. Participants will have two minutes to present their reasons. Reasons should include current USDA and poultry industry terminology and standards. 6. Each participant will grade a class of ten white (or white-tint)-shell eggs. Criteria for grading will be derived from USDA standards for interior quality of market eggs. The USDA quality grades will be AA, A, B and Loss. Participants must candle the eggs to determine the appropriate USDA quality grade, but improper handling of eggs will result in disqualification.</p><p>1 7. Each participant will grade a class of ten shell eggs. Criteria for grading will be derived from USDA standards for exterior quality of market eggs. The USDA quality graders will be AA/A, B and NG (nongradable). Criteria for grading may include decisions related to the following quality factors (i.e., defects): Soundness (unbroken, check, dented check or leaker); Stains (slight/moderate stain or prominent stain); Adhering Dirt or Foreign Material: Egg Shape (approximately normal shape, unusual or decidedly misshapen); Shell Texture (shell faulty in soundness and strength, large calcium deposits or pronounced ridges); Shell Thickness (pronounced thin spots); No Defect.</p><p>8. Each participant will determine written quality factors for a class of ten further-processed poultry meat products (e.g., precooked, coated chicken meat patties, tenders, nuggets or wings). Criteria for evaluation will include coating defects (void and color), appropriateness of shape (inconsistent shape and broken), inconsistent size, clusters/marriages, miscuts in wings (miscut and broken) and evidence of feathers or foreign material. Participants may not touch any product; doing so will result in disqualification.</p><p>9. Each participant will identify ten poultry parts. Poultry parts to be identified will be randomly selected and consistent with those used in the chicken processing and merchandising industries. The participants may not touch any part; doing so will result in disqualification.</p><p>10. Tiebreakers – If ties occur, the following classes will be used in order to determine the ranking of award recipients: 1- written exam, 2 – evaluation of live birds (laying hens).</p><p>11. Questions for the written poultry examination will be taken from the bank of questions that is posted online at the Michigan FFA web-site. Questions will be taken from the following resources:</p><p>1- Poultry Science Manual for National FFA Contests, 5th edition, IMS Catalog</p><p>2- Poultry Grading Manual – Agriculture Handbook Number 31 (latest USDA edition) – IMS Catalog</p><p>3- Egg Grading Manual – Agriculture Handbook Number 75 (latest USDA edition) – IMS Catalog</p><p>4- Evaluation of Precooked, Breaded Chicken Patties (14 color slides with four page script) (IMS Catalog #5140)</p><p>2</p>