Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Dayok Mirah Chickens

Abstract

Dayok Mirah is a native chicken originating from Simalungun Regency. Based on folklore, this chicken was food for kings and commanders before going to war. The famous processed product from chicken is called Dayok Nabinatur. Genetically, the origin of this chicken has not been traced. This chicken feather is a combination of black and red for males and black and brown for females. The color of the shank and beak is yellow, while the comb must stand upright and be jagged. The egg weight of the Dayok Mirah (48.4 ± 7.30 g/egg) was greater than that of other native chickens, fertility and hatchability were 87.3 ± 10.99% and 68.7 ± 18.85% respectively in the incubation machine which were classified as good compared to other local chickens. The shank length of an adult Dayok Mirah was 7.5-9.5 cm with a shank circumference of 4.25-5.25 cm. Whereas the length of the tibia and femur of the hen was 12.35 cm and 10.1 cm and that of the rooster was 13.25 cm and 11.50 cm respectively. The genetic diversity of the Dayok Mirah has not been well documented, but the genes related to growth and egg production are being investigated. The standardization of the Dayok Mirah needs to be done as soon as possible because the development of other native chickens has begun to suppress the existence of the Dayok Mirah. The Dayok Mirah chicken should also be registered as one of the local genetic resources for Simalungun Regency.