The aim of this research was to detect the principal reasons for condemnation of poultry carcasses in two slaughterhouses (A and B); located in the southeastern region of the State of Goiás, Brazil. The data were collected by the federal veterinary inspection services of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture between January and April 2007. The principal causes of condemnation observed in both industries were cellulite, contusion/ fractures and bruises, as well as contamination due to gut severance at evisceration. The three main values observed for each of the causes were different between the slaughter houses. In A, cellulite was the main cause of condemnation with 51.20% of all condemnations, followed by 5.67% for contusion/ fractures and bruising and 33.61% for contamination by evisceration. In B, the major cause of condemnation was 28.90% due to fractures/ contusion and bruising, followed by 25.27% for cellulite and 22.50% for contamination. Other causes of condemnation were observed, however in minute quantities in both industries (<10% to A and <23% to B). The high cellulite occurrence in A was due to the high density of the poultry in sheds (17 or 18 chickens m-2). The greater value for fractures/ contusion and bruising verified in B was due to the inefficiency during capture in the sheds and putting on hooks in the slaughterhouse. Carcass lesions were also caused by insensitization because of non-uniformity in the poultry groups. Contamination by residues due to gut severance, mainly intestines, was attributed to problems in adjustment of machinery and non- uniformity of lots in industry A. In industry B the value detected within an acceptable level of failure in evisceration for machine, according to the manufacturer. All problems observed suggest a failure in handling, cellulite and mainly failures in pre slaughter and slaughter procedure to prevent contusions, fractures and bruising.
cellulite; broiler; fractures; lesions; quality and poultry meat
