Comparative study of carcass yield of male and female Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum, 1792)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3932026010702Keywords:
Meat yield, sexual dimorphism, industrial post-harvest processing, fillet yieldAbstract
One of the main problems in salmon production, among others, is the premature maturation of the fish. Various technological strategies have been adopted to minimize losses. One such strategy involves raising salmon separated by sex, which has opened new management possibilities. This study was conducted at the AquaChile processing plant (Quellón) during the 2024-2025 season to evaluate differences in meat yield between male and female coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). The salmon were raised in 30 × 30 × 15 m cages, separated by sex, and maintained under the same standard farming conditions: stocking density, feed, and an artificial photoperiod of 9 months (19-20 h of light). Fish were randomly sampled from the processing line and weighed individually at four carcass stages: WFE (whole, bled), HON (gutted), HG (gutted and headed), and TRIMD (weight of both fillets). A total of 1,699 randomly selected individuals (987 females and 712 males) were analyzed. Meat yield indices, expressed as percentages, were calculated as RHG = (HG/WFE) × 100 and RTRIMD = (TRIMD/WFE) × 100. The average yields obtained were: RHG 77.28% (females) and 76.54% (males), (p < 0.05); and RTRIMD 60.49% (females) and 59.27% (males), (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the females showed statistically higher meat yield from the HG product, a difference that increased in the TRIMD product.
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