Carcass and Nutritional Traits of Stunted Catla (Labeo catla, Hamilton, 1822) Reared in Ponds

Abstract

Seed stunting is widely practiced in aquaculture to ensure year-round availability of quality juveniles; however, its effects on carcass quality and biochemical composition during post-stunting grow-out remain inadequately understood. This study evaluated the influence of stunting on carcass traits and nutrient composition of catla (Labeo catla) during the compensatory growth phase. Stunted and non-stunted juveniles were produced through photoperiod manipulation using 6 h light:18 h dark (6L:18D) and 12 h light:12 h dark (12L:12D) regimes, respectively, and subsequently reared in earthen ponds for 240 days. At harvest, stunted fish attained a mean body weight of 590.33 ± 73.50 g, while non-stunted fish reached 753.33 ± 52.04 g. Stunted catla exhibited significantly lower (p < 0.05) dressed, headless dressed, and skinless dressed yields (82.64%, 50.76%, and 46.80%, respectively) compared to non-stunted fish (83.52%, 53.83%, and 50.70%). Among offal traits, stunted fish showed a higher head percentage (31.37%) and a lower digestive tract percentage (7.82%) (p < 0.05). Fillet cutability revealed marginally higher meat yield (72.12%) and lower bone content (19.53%) in stunted fish. The mid-body region contributed the highest edible meat proportion in both groups. Biochemical analysis indicated significantly lower moisture content in stunted fish, while crude protein and lipid levels were comparable between treatments. Overall, stunting did not adversely affect nutrient accretion or meat quality during compensatory growth, highlighting its potential for improving seed management without compromising product quality. These findings support improved stunting protocols and provide a reference for assessing nutritional effects in other cultured fish species.