Resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics is an important public health concern, because these are one of the most prescribed group of antimicrobials to treatment of infections. There are reports of the transmission of bacteria and resistance genes from food to humans via manipulation or consumption. Research into bacterial resistance in sheep is a little investigated area in Brazil. However, the sheep meat production is increasing, that enforce the necessity of information about beta-lactam resistance bacteria in the sheep sector. This study aimed at characterizing E. coli isolates from the feces of feedlotting meat lambs and the sheep meat sold at retail, according to beta-lactam resistance genes.