A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2006 to May 2007 to investigate thernproportion of tetracycline residue levels in beef at Addis Ababa, Debre Zeit and Nazarethrnslaughterhouses. A total of 384 muscle and kidney samples were randomly collected fromrnslaughtered cattle in the respective slaughterhouses. The samples were qualitatively screened forrntetracycline residues by thin layer chromatography using a suitable silica gel (Merck silica gel 60rnplates).The positive samples were then further analyzed by using high performance liquidrnchromatography (HPLC) Shimadzu Model Class-VP series with an electron diode array detector.rnThe result of this study indicated that oxytetracycline residues previously detected in thin layerrnchromatography were detected in all samples by HPLC. A given sample was regarded as positivernfor tetracycline if its retention time and peak corresponded to that of the standard. Out of the 384rnsamples that were analyzed for tetracycline residues 274 (71.35%) had detectable oxytetracyclinernresidues. Tetracycline and doxycycline were not detected. At Addis Ababa slaughterhouse, 120rn(93.75%) of kidney and beef samples were positive for oxytetracycline. In Debre Zeit 48 (37.5%)rnof kidney and beef samples were also positive for oxytetracycline while from Nazarethrnslaughterhouse 106 (82.81%) of kidney and beef were positive for oxytetracycline. The meanrn(p>0.05) residue levels of oxytetracycline for the three slaughterhouses studied in muscle were asrnfollows: Addis Ababa 108.34Î¼g/kg, Nazareth 64.85Î¼g/kg and 15.916Î¼g/kg at Debre Zeit while inrnkidney samples were (p