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Objective: To determine the prevalence and the risk factors associated to the incorrect application of the anabolic implant in intensive cattle feedlots. Design/Methodology/Approach: An observational study was conducted in which 888 cattle ears were evaluated from five livestock feedlots. The criteria of the condition of the anabolic implant were: correct and incorrect (encapsulated, abscessed, in cartilage, badly placed, heaped, partial and absent). The results were evaluated through the chi-squared test and logistic regression, the alpha level established was 0.05. Results: A prevalence of 64.30% incorrectly applied anabolic implants was observed. At least 50% of the cattle from the feedlots evaluated presented feilures in the application of the implant. Encapsulated and poorly implants represented 91.6% (51.4 and 40.2%, respectively) of the total incorrect conditions. The risk of a bovine presenting an incorrect condition increased 1.8 times more when the feedlot has more than 4000 cattle (P<0.001) and 4.2 times more when they are females (P<0.001); the season of the year was not a risk factor (P<0.17). Study Limitation/Implications: The incorrect application of anabolic implants derives in failures that complicate their absorption and integration into the organism, which is why more studies are suggested to determine the economic impact that this can cause. Findings/Conclusions: The prevalence of the failures in anabolic implants is high, and, therefore, the productive and economic benefits that favor the application of this productive technology are not being obtained, in addition to there being determinant risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]