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Submitted to: Aquaculture America Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2004 Publication Date: 1/17/2005 Citation: Bosworth, B.G. 2005. Genetic improvement of meat yield in farm-raised catfish. Aquaculture America Conference 2005, New Orleans, LA, Jan. 17-20, pp. 250. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Meat yield, the proportion of whole fish weight comprised of saleable meat, is an economically important trait in farm-raised catfish. The economic impact of increasing meat yield depends on the cut (dressed fish, shank fillet etc.), pricing system, and influence on the volume of product sold. Currently catfish processors do not use yield based pricing in determining price paid to producers, and therefore the main benefit of increasing yield is realized by processors or integrated producer-processors. However, regardless of the segment of the industry realizing direct benefits, increasing meat yield has the potential to indirectly benefit the entire catfish farming industry and the consumer by increasing the volume of meat sold and/or lowering the price to the consumer. The Catfish Genetic Research Unit (CGRU), USDA-ARS is investigating the potential for improving meat yield in catfish through evaluation of channel catfish strains, evaluation of blue catfish and channel x blue catfish hybrids, development of a synthetic line derived from backcrossing channel and blue catfish, and selection for improved meat yield within a channel catfish population based on estimation of genetic (co)variances and breeding values for meat yield. In addition, research has examined the potential for impacts of genotype x dietary protein level interactions on meat yield. A summary of research to improve catfish meat yield at CGRU is reviewed. |
