PgmNr P2083: Estimation of genetic parameters for growth, yield and carcass quality traits in a fast-growing strain of Atlantic salmon.

Authors:
J. A. Gallardo 1 ; C. J. Soto 2


Institutes
1) Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, CL; 2) Salmones Camanchaca S.A., Puerto Montt, CL.


Abstract:

In this study, the heritability and genetic correlations of the principal productive traits of interest related to growth, yield and carcass quality in a population of domesticated Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) of Lochy strain were estimated. To do this, 199 families belonging to the company Salmones Camanchaca's breeding program were selected. Salmon were growed in a mariculture center as well as a freshwater fish farm. Regarding the fish farmed at sea, heritabilities of medium and high magnitude were established, for traits associated to growth (0.29 ± 0.04 to 0.43 ± 0.05) and for yield traits when were quantified based on carcass weight  (0.39 ± 0.04 to 0.40 ± 0.04). Yield traits in terms of percentage and quality had low heritabilities (0.06 ± 0.01 to 0.02 ± 0.03), except for the color trait of TRIMD fish fillet, which had an average heritability (0.22 ± 0.05). Genetic and phenotypic correlations were high between the main growth and yield traits of ranges 0.79 to 1.0, but low and medium - some even negative -between them and those associated with quality, ranging from 0.13 to -0.69. In the particular case of fish fillet color, this trait should be regarded in the selection criteria, but others traits like gaping or descaling have not suficient genetic variation to be included in the selection criteria.