Removal of organic material from poultry slaughter wastewater as determined by changes in biological oxygen demand (BOD5) was investigated by adding three different types of inoculum combining cow manure, yeast extract or hydraulic residence time as variables with response vector of reduction of BOD5. In a 3-l reactors, a 95% removal of BOD5 from poultry slaughter wastewater was obtained with organic loading rates up to 31 kg BOD5 m(-3) d(-1) without loss of stability. This 95% removal was obtained between 25 and 39 degrees C with a hydraulic residence time between 3.5 and 4.5 h. The growth of the consortium of micro-organisms in the reactor followed a first-order kinetic with a constant specific growth rate of 0.054 h(-1). It was concluded that an inoculum from cow manure added with nutrients and yeast extract allowed a 95% removal of BOD5 from poultry slaughter wastewater at ambient temperatures within a hydraulic residence time of 4 h, sharply reducing possible environmental hazards. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.