Five visiting Japanese students will join 15 Charles Sturt University (CSU) animal science and production students in a training day at local abattoirs to hone their meat judging skills, ahead of their participation in the 2008 Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition. The students will train in local facilities including Cargill Beef and Knights Meats in Wagga and Junee Abattoir. “The competition and the training beforehand is a unique opportunity to develop a career in the meat industry while mixing with industry representatives and other students,” said lecturer in Animal Production, Dr Bindi King. “This year the team will be coached by Mr Richard Sanders, a fourth year veterinary science student and previous national team member who has considerable experience in carcase judging.” The Japanese and Australian students will compete in the meat carcase and cut grading competition being held in Armidale, NSW, at the beginning of July. Winners of the Australian competition will head to the United States later in the year to compete for international honours.