Morphometric Diversity and Genetic Relationship of “Bangkok” Chicken (Thai Game Fowl) in East Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Commercial chickens that were selected for both meat and egg production were domesticated from the descendants of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) species that have been widely spreading in Asia, including Indonesia. There were an estimated 32 strains of local chicken in Indonesia with high morphological diversity. The one of contributors to the diversity of Indonesian local chicken is called “Bangkok” chicken. As a reference to the name of the chicken, it is a suspected descendent of Thai game fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758) which was introduced in Thailand region many years ago. The objective of this study was to explore the existence of this chicken related to the genetic relationship with the Indonesian local chicken. This study was conducted in East Java Province which covered sample areas Banyuwangi, Pasuruan, and Madiun Regencies. The materials were “Bangkok” chicken offspring with a total of 450 birds. The observed variables consisted of qualitative and quantitative morphological characters, both male and female of adult chickens (1 yr to 1.5 yr old). The highest frequency of the comb shape was Single comb (36.9 %) and the lowest was Rose shape (11.8 %). While the highest frequency of shank colour was blackish-yellow (45.6 %) and the white color (3.6 %) was the lowest. The closest genetic distance base on morphometric diversity was between Pasuruan and Banyuwangi chickens (96.04). It was suspected due to the distance area between Pasuruan and Banyuwangi closer than Madiun and Banyuwangi, while Madiun and Pasuruan was the farthest genetic distance (682.03). Hence, the breeding program of Bangkok chicken based on the genetic distance needs further consideration to prevent inbreeding from occurring. Otherwise, the closest distance should be called for to upgrade the purity of the Bangkok chicken ancestor.