CT-Assisted Increased Fillet Yield through Selective Breeding in Nile Tilapia

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

The project aims to use human grade CT-scan to develop and implement accurate methods for measuring fillet yield in live Nile tilapia & utilize this information in a breeding program to improve genetic gain for the sustainable tilapia industry. By increasing the proportion of fillet in tilapia, the project seeks to enhance feed conversion efficiency, industry profitability, and sustainability. The tilapia fillet industry produces a large amount of by-products estimated at 60%–70% of the total weight. In Nile tilapia, fast growth alone does not guarantee an increase in fillet yield, as fillet proportions vary among individuals and show no genetic correlation with growth. Unfortunately, current classical approaches have yielded limited genetic progress due to phenotypic data being obtained from siblings and the presence of significant measurement errors. Implementing innovative non-invasive methods like CT will lead to improved selection accuracy and higher genetic gains.