| Description: |
Abstract Genetic selection for carcass traits has always presented difficulties, because it is necessary to slaughter the animals to collect direct measurements of these traits. So, we evaluate, by path analysis, the cause‐and‐effect relationship between morphometric measurements and carcass traits on pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus, a very important species for aquaculture in Latin America. A total of 120 fish, at different ages, were anaesthetized, measured in standard length (SL), head length (HL), body height (BH) and body width (BW), slaughtered and processed to obtain the weights and yields of carcass, head, fillet, rib and residue. Path analysis was employed to estimate direct and indirect effects, with body part weight and yields as dependent variables and morphometric measurements and relationships as explanatory variables. Body and rib weights, as well as head yield, are strongly influenced by morphometric variables; HL/BH ration and SL can be used efficiently to determine and indirectly select these traits. With less efficiency, it is possible to indirectly select animals with higher weights and fillet yields and lower residual weights using BH, BW and SL, respectively. |