ABSTRACT

He sectional effect on egg production, atonality and intake of a total of 2 50() layers housed in deep litter and battery cage systems were investigated using environmental temperature and relative humidity as climatic factors. Birds in the battery cage system laid more eggs 32 . 410 o) than birds in the deep litter system (29.98%) in \vet season. In dry season, birds in the deep litter systeri1 laid more eggs (53.500o) thaii those in the hatte cae system (5 I .73%). More eggs were laid in the div season .33° o) compared to the wet season (3 1 .44%). The mean egg product  in the morning hours between 800am and I 0.00am 13867  fettered significantly front that of the afternoon hours between 12noon and 2 .00pin (7090.5) at 5% levels of probability. Egg production ill both systems was significantly (P<O.05) decreased by relative humidity but increased by environmental temperature. Mortality and feed intake were. 708: 67 1 25kg in \vet season and 59 39825kg in dry season, respectively. The effects of temperature and relative humidity on total mortality and total feed intake were not significant (P>O.O5). One egg production peak in wet season and two egg production peaks in dry season were obtained in deep litter system. These corresponded to April, December and February. respectively. In battery cage, egg production increased fairly constantly with undulating peaks in wet season hut showed three sharp peaks in dry season, corresponding to December, February and March. It 'o as therefore concluded that the layers in both systems of management performed better in dry season than in wet season.