Public Lecture at IPB: Indonesian Chicken Includes in the World’s Most Expensive Animals

Chairman of the Indonesian Poultry Farmer Association (Himpuli), Drs. Ade Zulkarnain, said that the development trend of local chicken business shows very good improvement. He conveyed this statement in Public Lecture of Local Poultry Business Prospect in Indonesia which was held at Auditorium of J.H. Hutasoit, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, IPB Dramaga Campus (14/3).

Drs. Ade invited IPB students to jointly build Indonesian local poultry. The regeneration of young people is also needed. The younger generation should start thinking how to lift the own country's genetic resources.

He argued that the prospect of local poultry development is very good. Local poultry is native germplasm of Indonesia so no need to import the seeds. Local poultry has a distinctive taste. Healthy livestock products have middle to upper market segmentation. Nowadays the real business actors come from smallholder / small scale business farmer (UMKM).

"The origins of chickens in the world come from three regions, namely China, the Indus Valley and Indonesia. Initially we have about 30 chicken species but now there are only 26 species and 80 percent of them are almost extinct," he said.

The Indonesian original chickens are Kedu Chicken (white, black, blorok, cemeni), Sentul Chicken, Pelung Chicken, Gaok Chicken, Jantur Chicken, Delona Chicken, Sedayu Chicken, Ayunai Chicken, Olagan Chicken, Sumatran Chicken, Ciparage Chicken, Tolaki Chicken, Tukong Chicken, Gaga Chicken (Laughing Chicken), Free-range Chicken, Balengek Rooster, and Bekisar Chicken.

While the newcomer chicken or Arab Chicken is Merawang Chicken (braekel/fayoumi) and Nunukan Wareng Chicken.

History of its spread was the original 1800 Indonesian chicken brought to England. The Sumatran chicken was first brought to America in 1847.

"Indonesian original chickens are included in the 10 world's most expensive animals, the price can reach 33 million rupiah per animal. When I go abroad, I had purchased DOC of Sumatra Chicken for 2 million. This means that Indonesian chicken is very valuable in the world, even one of our local chicken is already recognized by America," he explained.

Even at the end of this month, one commodity of the company pioneered by Drs. Ade will be ready to enter export market. This shows that Indonesian local chickens actually have a good potential to be developed.

Meanwhile, Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at the Faculty of Animal Husbandry (Fapet), Prof. Sumiati, hopes that this activity can build and motivate the young generation's interest in Indonesian local poultry.

"Currently, the local poultry business is being stretched, I hope this event can add students’ insight. I also do hope that the students can discuss about local poultry in their final thesis. According to the data in Himpuli, the commodity development of two local chickens and ducks is very prospective," he said. (TK)