Animal Science News and Highlights

Recognition, Learning Opportunities, Graduate Students Abroad, Team Competition

 

Recognition

A Legacy of Leadership: Cal Poly’s Megan Judge Honored for Advancing Women’s Polo 

 
Cal Poly Alumna Megan Judge (Agribusiness, ’00; Mater’s in Agribusiness, ’10), coach of the university’s men’s and women’s polo teams, has been coaching since 2004 and teaching part-time in the Animal Science and Agribusiness departments. 

Over the past 20 years, Judge has guided Cal Poly Polo to the national stage 10 times in 15 years. She coached the Cal Poly women’s team to a Division II National Championship in 2023. She also coaches two interscholastic teams that have earned eight regional titles. 

Judge was named the U.S. Polo Association’s (USPA) 2024 Woman of the Year and received the USPA Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Service Award in 2023. A competitor herself, she has represented the U.S. Women’s Polo Team in Manipur, India, and has played internationally in Argentina, Morocco and in national USPA tournaments in Virginia and Texas. 

In 2024, Judge was elected Governor At Large of the USPA, one of 10 positions that oversee the association’s mission and guide the allocation of more than $20 million annually toward programs and initiatives that support the sport. 

Her most recent honor, the Louise Hitchcock Woman of the Year Award, highlights her dedication to advancing women’s polo. Presented by the USPA Women’s Committee, the award recognizes those who encourage and increase female participation, raise standards of play and foster communication among women in polo. Named for Louise Eustis Hitchcock, a pioneer in the sport, the award celebrates women who are making lasting contributions to polo. 

 

Learning Opportunities

Linking Up for Learning: Explore the Craft of Sausage Making 

 

Local and out of state participants recently rolled up their sleeves for an Introduction to Sausage Making class at Cal Poly’s Meat Processing Center, led by the center’s manager Jacob Dilger.  

Attendees worked side by side to mix, season and link sausages while learning the science and tradition behind the craft. Dilger guided attendees through each step, encouraging them to explore different flavor combinations by selecting a variety of seasonings and helping students prepare the finished links.  

The event drew a strong turnout and enthusiastic reviews, with many attendees noting there was a certain camaraderie in making sausage together. Several participants also expressed interest in taking additional meat processing workshops in the future. 

The class was offered through Cal Poly’s Extended, Professional and Continuing Education office.

 

Graduate Students Abroad 

Cal Poly Students Present Innovative Beef Cattle Behavior Research in the Netherlands
 

Two Cal Poly animal science graduate students presented their research on beef cattle behavior last summer at the International Society for Applied Ethology Conference in Utrecht, Netherlands. 

Jason Dubowsky (Animal Science, ’23; Master’s in Agriculture, ’25), and Amelia Katz (Animal Science, ’23; Master’s in Agriculture, ’25) shared findings from ongoing studies that examine how production traits, such as feed efficiency, relate to behavior at the feed bunk. Feed efficiency measures how effectively cattle convert feed into weight gain, a key factor in improving sustainability in the beef industry. 

The two are studying bulls’ feeding habits, including how often and how long they eat, their competitive interactions and their overall activity levels. The researchers’ goal is to determine whether behavior can be used as a practical tool for selecting animals that will perform well in future production systems. 

In addition to the international presentation, Dubowsky and Katz have shared their work through several recent abstracts. They hope their research will provide producers with behavior-based indicators that can improve selection decisions, benefiting both cattle management and the wider beef industry. 

“By integrating behavior into selection tools, we can improve animal welfare, reduce environmental impacts and support sustainable beef production for the future,” Katz said.

 

 

Team Competition 

Judging Success: Cal Poly Livestock Judging Team Earns Honors and Reignites Tradition

At Cal Poly, livestock judging isn’t just an activity, it’s a tradition. The Erhart Agriculture Building (No. 10) hallways are lined with generations of team photos showcasing student’s hard work, miles traveled and memories made.

For these students, livestock judging is more than just picking the best animal, it’s about learning to think critically, building confidence and representing Cal Poly at the national level.  

Livestock judging requires an individual to critically analyze livestock and then clearly explain to the judges the reasons why the animals were chosen. It takes a great deal of mental strength, confidence and critical thinking.

While reflecting on her experiences with the team for the last two years, animal science senior Savanna Barcellos explained, “When I give reasons, I focus on being confident and accurate, making sure I explain why each placing makes sense. To me, reasons are just as important as placing the class because they show how well you understand your decision.” 

After several years without a team, Cal Poly’s livestock judging tradition is back in action, and students are once again hitting the road this fall to compete across the country.  

This summer, the team traveled through the Midwest, making stops in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Minnesota. The students toured a variety of notable locations, including the National Pork Board office, Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, John Deere World Headquarters, SPAM Museum and several prominent show pig operations.

The trip concluded in Austin, Minnesota, where the team competed in the National Barrow Show’s livestock judging contest. A kickoff to the 2025–26 judging season, this contest was entirely swine-focused and featured eight classes, four sets of reasons and one set of questions. The National Barrow Show contest provided the team with perspective, experience and motivation for what’s ahead. 

Beyond the competition, the trip provided an excellent opportunity for new and returning members to strengthen team connections, share experiences and gain valuable livestock judging knowledge to apply at future contests.   

“My favorite part of the trip was traveling to the different show pig operations,” said Maddy Cameron, an Animal Science senior. “I especially liked this portion because I grew up showing pigs through 4-H and FFA, and I even ran my own pig breeding operation for a few years. That was such a big part of my life growing up, so I found it really cool to see how things are done in different places. I also gained a lot of knowledge and picked up advice about judging that I was able to apply at the contest.”  

The team was recently named Reserve Champion Overall Team at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

The students also brought home a few additional awards, as follows: 

• Reserve High Team Reasons. 
• Savanna Barcellos - Seventh High Individual Overall.  
• Maddy Cameron - 10th High Individual Overall and Fifth High Individual in Sheep.  
• Blake Lauppe - Third High Individual in Beef.  
• Sophie Holland - 10th High Individual in Goats.  
• Ella Turjanis - Ninth High Individual in Sheep.  

In the coming weeks, they’ll travel to Kansas City, Missouri for the American Royal livestock show, horse show, rodeo and barbecue competition before heading to Louisville, Kentucky to compete at the North American International Livestock Exposition. 

“These contests rank among the most prestigious in collegiate livestock judging, and the team is eager for the chance to earn more titles while creating lasting memories on the road together,” team advisor and faculty member Morgan Wonderly said.

 

Read more stories in the Fall 2025 Newsletter