O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos de métodos de abate (MA) (humanitário (MH) e por tiro (MT)) e sexo na composição centesimal, perfil de ácidos graxos (AG) e colesterol da carne de capivara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris L. 1766). Foram abatidos 20 animais (13 machos (M) e 7 fêmeas (F)) com peso médio de 45,71kg. No músculo longissimus dorsi (LD) foram determinados: umidade, lipídios totais (LT), proteína e cinzas e no semimembranosus (SM), o colesterol por colorimetria e o perfil de AG por cromatografia gasosa. O LD apresentou: 75,87% de umidade, 1,37% de LT, 22,11% de proteínas e 1,09% de cinzas. Houve diferença (p<0,01) nos teores de LT de M (1,75%) e F (0,98%). Os fatores sexo e MA não influenciaram: umidade, proteína e cinzas. Os AG encontrados em maior proporção (%) foram: C16:0 (29,57); C18:1w9 (27,87); C18:2w6 (19,19); C18:0 (6,57); C18:3w3 (4,97); C14:0 (3,64); C20:4w6 (3,45); C18:1w7 (3,31) e C16:1w7 (1,90). A relação AG poliinsaturados/saturados foi 0,82. As médias de AG w6 e w3 foram 23,41 e 5,63%. Os fatores sexo e MA não influenciaram os poliinsaturados e colesterol (28,11mg/100g). A carne de capivara apresentou teores elevados de proteína e valores reduzidos de lipídios totais e de colesterol e relação w6/w3 nutricionalmente adequada.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of two slaughter methods: traditional (TS) and head-shot (HS) and sex on the proximate composition, fatty acids (FA) profile and cholesterol content of capybara meat. Twenty animals (13 males (M) and 7 females (F)), weighting about 45.71kg, were slaughtered. In longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were determined: moisture, crude fat, protein and ash. In semimembranosus (SM) muscle, were determined: cholesterol content for colorimetric method and fatty acids (FA) profile for gas chromatography. The LD muscle had values of: 75.87% of moisture, 1.37% of crude fat, 22.11% of crude protein, 1.09% of ash. There were significant differences (p<0.01) between lipid contents of M (1.75%) and F (0.98%). The FA in major concentration (%) were: C16:0 (29.57); C18:1w9 (27.87); C18:2w6 (19.19); C18:0 (6.57); C18:3w3 (4.97); C14:0 (3.64); C20:4w6 (3.45); C18:1w7 (3.31) and C16:1w7 (1.90). Ratio value of poliunsaturated FA to saturated FA was 0.82. The average values of w6 FA and w3 FA were 23.41 and 5.63%, respectively. The factors sex and slaughter method had no effect on poliunsaturated FA percentages and cholesterol content (28.11mg/100g). Capybara meat presented low total lipid content and high crude protein values and FA w6/w3 ratio considered nutritionally adequated.