With the objective of evaluating the yield processing of tilapia strains in function of body weight, an experiment was carried out at the Fish Culture of the Animal Sciences Department, Federal University of Lavras, M.G. - Brazil. A total 93 fish of the Chitralada strain and 78 of the Supreme strain, weighting between 150 and 790 g were used. The fish were cultivated in two tanks of 40 m², fed with commercial ration supplied according to the biomass and water temperature. The water temperature and oxygen were evaluated every day, at the early morning and at the late afternoon, and the pH checked weekly. During the fish growth, random samples were taken. After 24 hours of fasting, the fish were insensibilized (thermal shock), slaughtered (anoxia), weighted and dissected. The regression analysis showed that in higher weight, the Chitralada strain presented higher head percentage and skin yield. The Supreme strain presented higher carcass, fillet and residue weights, being more expressive in body weights superior to 500 g and smaller limiting value for the percentage of viscera. It was concluded that the two strains have growth of body parts proportional to the increase of the body weight, and this increase does not modify the parts yield. The Supreme strain showed more carcass and fillet yield than Chitralada, and is should be indicated for production and commercialization of heavier fillet.
carcass yield; chitralada; fillet yield; supreme; thai
