The present work has the objective of studying the quality of the animal carcass treated with different growth promoters. Twelve yearlings of the Blonde d'Aquitaine breed were used. They were divided in three groups: a control group, a group treated with clenbuterol (+ dexamethasone) and a group treated with estradiol benzoate (+ dexamethasone). We evaluated the carcasses conformation and fatness, and made morphometric measures. Then, conventional quartering was done. There were no statistically significant differences in the productive indexes live weight, daily gain average and conversion index between groups, although there were differences in the carcass yield and the rib eye a rea, being higher in the animals treated with clenbuterol (+ dexamethasone), and in the carcasses fatness, smaller in the same animals. Within the morphometric measures, only a slight difference in the perimeter of the leg was appreciated, again higher in the animals treated with clenbuterol (+ dexamethasone). These animals presented a slightly superior percentage of muscle in the rib dissection, and less subcutaneous, intramuscular and total fat than animals treated with hormones (+ dexamethasone) and those of the control group. In the percentage of bone, animals treated with hormones (+ dexamethasone) showed the highest values. Although there were no significant differences in the percentage of commercial meat between treatments and in the relations meat/fat and meat/bone, we found statistically significant differences in the percentage of secondary category meat, slightly inferior in the control group.
Since the differences between groups were no statistically significant overall, it is difficult to say whether the inspection of the carcasses could serve as a method to detect the fraudulent use of growth promoters.