Analysis of the main causes of chicken carcass condemnation in slaughterhouses in Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Pre-slaughter inspection activities encompass clinical, documentary, and sanitary checks; post-mortem inspection identifies abnormalities in chicken carcasses, such as lesions caused by disease or inadequate handling and processing, leading to partial or total condemnation. The objectives were to determine the causes of condemnation for poultry carcasses slaughtered in Mato Grosso, identify the triggering factors, and evaluate the economic impact on the chicken production chain between January 2017 and December 2024. This was a retrospective, exploratory study using data from the Federal Inspection Service's Management Information System (SIGSIF) and reports from inspected establishments. Of the 1,251,623,202 chickens slaughtered, 9.5% (118,990,903) of the carcasses were condemned: 2.69% (33,759,843) totally and 6.8% (85,231,060) partially. Gastrointestinal contamination showed the highest percentages for both totally and partially condemned carcasses (57.16% and 37.55%, respectively), followed by cellulitis, accounting for 18% of both types of condemnation. Repugnant appearance (7.94%) and bruising/fractures (11.29%) ranked third among total and partial condemnations. Factors influencing condemnations included environmental conditions (temperature and relative humidity) as well as handling practices during rearing, transport, and processing. Economic losses associated with the 118,990,903 condemned birds during this period totaled R$ 1,365,420,611.93. We concluded that the partial and total condemnation of poultry involves a complex set of factors, ranging from on-farm management to processing. Understanding the situation in the state enables the formulation of measures to prevent and mitigate condemnations and the resulting economic losses associated with the disposal of these birds.