<p class="abstract"><strong><span lang="EN-US">Background: </span></strong><span lang="EN-GB">Slaughterhouse is one of the major critical points in meat hygiene with slaughtering being the stage of occurrence of most contamination risks.</span></p><p class="abstract"><strong><span lang="EN-US">Methods: </span></strong><span lang="EN-GB">This study aimed to assess the microbiological quality of cattle carcasses in the slaughterhouses of Cotonou/Porto-Novo. Samples were collected by excision from four parts on each carcass (neck, shoulder, flank and thigh). A total of eighty (80) samples from twenty (20) carcasses were analysed. Bacteriological analysis was achieved according to APC. ISO 4833: 2003; ISO 21528-2 and ISO 6579: 2002 norms, respectively for evaluate the aerobic plate count, enteric bacteria count, and qualitative detection of <em>Salmonella</em>. </span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong><span lang="EN-US">Results: </span></strong><span lang="EN-GB">Results varied according to carcass parts, with no significant difference between the bacterial loads of these parts regarding the APC. However, a significant difference was observed between the load in enteric bacteria between the neck and the thigh. With respect to EC regulations (N° 2073/2005), the thigh is the most contaminated part with 100% unsatisfactory results for APC, as well as, enteric bacteria count together with high contamination by <em>Salmonella</em> (detected in 75% of thigh samples). Then following the shoulder, showing 100% unsatisfactory results for APC and enteric bacterial load with presence of <em>Salmonella</em> in 55% of samples.</span></p><p class="abstract"><strong><span lang="EN-US">Conclusions: </span></strong><span lang="EN-GB">Although being the most contaminated </span>site<span lang="EN-GB">, the inner part of the thigh had the lowest contamination level with respect to APC.</span></p>

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