O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a contaminação microbiana do couro e da superfície de carcaças bovinas, provenientes de bovinos em diferentes sistemas de engorda: extensiva em pastagem e intensiva em confinamento. Foram utilizados 40 bovinos sadios, da raça nelore, sendo metade proveniente de pastagem e a outra metade de confinamento, que foram abatidos em matadouro-frigorífico sob Serviço de Inspeção Federal, localizado no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. A coleta das amostras realizou-se pela técnica de esfregaço de superfície nas carcaças utilizando-se de suabe. As contagens médias (log10 UFC/cm²) de aeróbios mesófilos e anaeróbios facultativos, coliformes totais e E. coli foram: antes da esfola, 3,72, 1,27 e 0,86; após a esfola, 1,89, 0,40 e 0,40, e após a lavagem, 2,19, 0,55 e 0,42, respectivamente, para os bovinos de pastagem; antes da esfola, 3,31, 0,65 e 0,64; após a esfola, 1,78, 0,40 e 0,40, e após a lavagem, 1,82, 0,41 e 0,40 para os bovinos de confinamento. Evidenciou-se, pela análise microbiológica, que as amostras provenientes de bovinos em pastagem apresentaram contagens médias superiores, e no caso do couro, essas diferenças foram estatisticamente significativas. Essa constatação foi confirmada pela observação visual de que os animais de confinamento apresentavam o couro "mais limpo" no momento do abate.

The objective of this research work was to evaluate the microbial contamination of hide and surface from bovine carcasses coming from cattle under two different feeding systems: extensive, in pasture, and intensive, in feedlot. Forty healthy bovine animals from nelore breed were selected, the one-half being from pasture and the other one-half from feedlot. They were slaughtered under the Federal Inspection Service, in the slaughterhouse located in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The sample collection was carried out through the surface smear technique by using swab on carcasses. The average counting (log10 CFU/cm²) for mesophilic aerobes and facultative anaerobes, total coliforms and E. coli were, respectively: before skinning, 3.72, 1.27, and 0.86; after skinning, 1.89, 0.40, and 0.40; and after washing, 2.19, 0.55, and 0.42 for the pasture cattle; before skinning, 3.31, 0.65, and 0.64; after skinning, 1.78, 0.40, and 0.40 and before washing, 1.82, 0.41, and 0.40 for the feedlot cattle. It was found through microbiological analysis that samples from cattle in pasture presented higher average counting in relation to the cattle in feedlot and, in case of the hide, these differences were statistically significant. This evidence was confirmed by the visualization of hide from animals in feedlot, which was cleaner at the moment of slaughter.