Peter said: I cannot let Medhat's comment"no honey no money" in relation
to ranking Hygienic Behaviour so far behind honey production in breeding
selection criteria, go by without a dissenting view. He is inferring that
the selection of bees that prioritize health rather than hoarding in
their daily activities will affect honey production so badly that the
economic viability of the outfit will suffer.
Bullshit!(I'm an Aussie so I'm allowed to say that!)
Comments: B.S. is universal language, you don't have to be an Aussie to
say that.
I am not inferring that the selection of bees that prioritize health
rather than hoarding in their daily activities will affect honey
production so badly that the economic viability of the outfit will suffer.
Let me explain to you, When we started the breeding program in Ontario, we
consulted with beekeepers and did a survey to rank traits in a priority
list. As I mentioned they ranked honey production first, winterability,
disease resistance and so on. We needed to work with our clients and
encourage them to bite into breeding. In fact, we left the first two
traits "Honey production and winterability" to them to select for. Then,
we go and do the HBTM resistance testing and later we added hygienic. I
used to tell them from my perspective, select what ever you like blue
eyes, green eyes, good looking, blondies, etc...as long you like those
queens, I am OK. All my goal at that time was to breed resistance into
their bees. Thus, the beekeepers have something to brag about their queens
and garnish the benefits of resistance and honey production.
By the way this philosophy worked out very well with our breeders in
Ontario, Canada. I left this program since 2000, but the program has
successfully continued. Each beekeeper is hooked to the idea and kept
maintaining the breeding program.
Cheers.
medhat
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