Al examinar 746 novillos en plantas de faena del Uruguay, se encontraron quistes de la bolsa branquial, mucosos, alargados o redondeados, de hasta 20 mm en 108 animales (14,4%). Estos quistes deben ser diferenciados de otros quistes cervicales que se originan de quistes broncogénitos, y de Cysticercus bovis. No hubo signos de infección o malignidad en los quistes examinados.Palabras claves: quistes, vacunos.AbstractIn 746 steers brought to slaughterhouses in Uruguay, 108 (14.4%) rounded or elongated mucosal lined cysts, up to 20 mm in diameter, were found within the fascia of the internal pterygoid muscle. They are branchial poruch cysts, an embryonal structure which becomes vestigial in adults. They should be differettiated from other cervical cysts taking their origin from bronchogenic cysts and from Cysticercus bovis. None of the 108 cysts showed sign of infection or malignant changes.Key words: cysts, cattle.