BIODIVERSITAS ISSN: 1412-033X Volume 19, Number 6, November 2018 E-ISSN: 2085-4722 Pages: 2232-2237 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d190631 Knowledge and perception of pelung keepers’s toward chicken contests in West Java, Indonesia INDRAWATI Y. ASMARA 1 , DANI GARNIDA 1 , MARINA SULISYTATI 1 , SAFITRI TEJANINGSIH 1 , RUHYAT PARTASASMITA 2,♥ 1 Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Universitas Padjadjaran. Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang Km. 21, Jatinangor, Sumedang 45363, West Java, Indonesia 2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran. Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang Km. 21, Jatinangor, Sumedang 45363, West Java, Indonesia. Tel./fax.: +62-284-288828.  email: ruhyat.partasasmita@unpad.ac.id; rp2010rikkyo@gmail.com Manuscript received: 5 May 2018. Revision accepted: 10 November 2018. Abstract. Asmara IY, Garnida D, Sulisytati M, Tejaningsih S, Partasasmita R. 2018. Knowledge and perception of pelung keepers’s toward chicken contests in West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 2232-2237. Pelung chicken is an indigenous chicken breed which has social and cultural functions in particular communities in Indonesia. Contests are conducted regularly as a media to show the singing ability of Pelung chickens and the activities are considered important to maintain the existence of the chickens. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of chicken keepers toward chicken contests for Pelung chickens. A survey using open and structured questionnaire was conducted to collect data involving 133 Pelung keepers. The study was carried out in four districts in West Java Province, Indonesia including Cianjur, Sukabumi, Bandung, and Garut Districts. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The result showed that almost respondents knew about contests and they defined contests as a media to find good breeds as well as a media to find and/or improve networks. Main sources of information contests were the organization, family, and social media. Respondents had positive perception toward contests, and they actively participated in the different level of contests. The findings are important as social input for the management of animal genetic resources (AnGR) in Indonesia Keywords: Contests, knowledge, Pelung chicken keepers, perception, West Java INTRODUCTION Indigenous chicken breeds form part of global Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR). It was reported that indigenous chickens in Indonesia differ from those in Asia and other countries in the world; thus, Indonesia was considered as one of the major chicken domestication centers in the world, besides China and India. (Sulandari et al. 2007a; 2008). Indigenous chicken breeds are a national resource and make a significant contribution to food security and the livelihoods of people in rural areas (Director General of Livestock Services 2003). They also perform social and cultural functions in particular Indonesian communities (Iskandar et al. 2004; Partasasmita et al. 2017). In Indonesia, there are at least 31 distinct groups of indigenous chickens in Indonesia (Nataamijaya 2000; Partasasmita et al. 2016), which are generally classified into two groups: descript and nondescript chickens (Directorate General of Livestock Services 2003). Descript chickens have specific characteristics primarily related to their plumage and are regarded as local to a specific area (Diwyanto and Iskandar 1999). Non-descript chickens have no specific phenotypical characteristics. These chickens can be found in most villages (kampung) in Indonesia (Nataamijaya 2000), so they are commonly known as ‘kampung chickens’. The populations of indigenous chicken breeds in Indonesia are assumed to be in decline (Diwyanto and Prijono 2007). Breeds were found to be less likely to be at risk where they had specific traits that permitted them to make an important contribution to farmer livelihoods, including through their role in broader religious and/or traditional customs in the communities (Asmara 2014; Asmara et al. 2014). Pelung chickens are among other chickens in Indonesia which at risk of extinction; however, this breed has specific characteristics in relation to cultural aspect. Pelung chicken is originally from Cianjur District in West Java Province raised as singing chickens (Muladno 2008; Sulandari et al. 2007b). Most of Pelung keepers in Cianjur raised their chickens for cultural motivation. The existence of singing contests makes more people interest in keeping the chickens and their distribution grows outside their original areas. As a result, the existence of contests is very important in the conservation of indigenous chicken breeds in Indonesia (Asmara 2014). Pelung contests, which were conducted regularly at local to national level, were marketplaces for Pelung chickens (Hippapi 2005). During contests, Pelung chickens were traded. If the chickens won the contests, their prices increased. In addition, the fertile eggs and/or offspring of the contest-winning chickens and their dams were valued more highly (Asmara 2014). The Pelung trading in contests not only involve the keepers but also traders and or fanciers; thus, is not strange if the contests shifting from cultural events into the economic event only. Keepers can be viewed as de facto conservation agents for agricultural genetic resources (FAO 2012; Narloch et al. 2011). The perceptions and knowledge of contests can be implemented as input for contest management. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the perceptions and knowledge of farmers on