Dear All,
Sorry to hear about the spread of anti-biotic resistant AFB to parts of
Canada.

Reading about this makes me think about how glad I am that New Zealand did
not go down the road of treating AFB hives with anti-biotics.

I defy any AFB spore to become resistant to our methods!  Whenever we find
AFB we have only two options: burn everything - lid, base, queen excluder,
wooden hive mat, feeders, frames - the lot after killing the bees (some gas,
some use petrol) or the other option is to burn the frames and dip the rest
in very hot paraffin wax for at least 10 minutes.  It's ruthless and it's
expensive but it works.

In New Zealand we reached a peak of reported AFB hive of 1.2% in 1990.  In
1991 our National Beekeeping Association instituted an AFB Control
Programme.  Over the next seven years the reported incidence of AFB
decreased by an average of 12% per annum reaching a low of 0.38% in 1998.

The good news is that many beekeepers are continually reducing the incidence
of AFB throughout their operations and that through great vigilance,
planning, education and minor changes to beekeeping practices, it is
possible to control AFB without the use of anti-biotics.

If anyone is interested I would recommend a brilliant book called
"Elimination of American Foulbrood Without the Use of Drugs - A Practical
Manual for Beekeepers" by Dr. Mark Goodwin and Cliff van Eaton. The book is
published by the National Beekeepers' Association of New Zealand and the
address is: The Executive Secretary, National Beekeepers Association, P.O.
Box 6015, Wellington, New Zealand, Ph. (country code) 4 4737269 or fax.
(country code) 4 4731081 or email at: [log in to unmask]

The book is cheap (especially with the U.S. and Canadian $ riding so high
against the $NZ and very, very useful.

All the best.

Simon and Sarah Peacey
Queenbreeders