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Subject:
From:
Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Mon, 8 Jul 1996 17:34:41 -0600
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> To say that 'rearing is more important than genetics' is a slap in
> the face for all good breeders including Br Adam, who spent a
> lifetime doing just that.
 
I don't think anyone said that.  but I notice several people seemed
to get that out of the discussion, so maybe some statements weren't
clear, if so, and if any were mine, I apologise for poor writing.
 
But if it were true, it would not detract from the importance of good
genetics, it would only indicate that there is a very  important
co-factor.
 
Additionally, it is not a slap, but a testament to these people that
they are able to derive the best individual specimens of each genetic
type to compare.  This could only be accomplished by skillful queen
rearing.
 
What was said was that queens that are poorly raised are no good no
matter how good the genetics might be.
 
Moreover, the quality of queen rearing is likely to vary more than
the quality of the genetics between two competitive queen producers
-- IMO at least.
 
In the previous posts, no comment was made about queens that were
well raised from good stock except that in the study cited, the
second generation queens all performed somewhat similarly.
 
It is entirely possible, even likely that the original queens  were
all from selected stocks and had good genetics, and that the only
difference was that some were not well produced -- possibly due to
season, green help, demand pressure, or any of the myriad things that
cause some commercial queen producers toi release substandard
specimens to market.
 
> Selection of the Queen Mother plus good  rearing is the only
> answer.
 
That is exactly what everyone is agreed on -- in a nutshell.  Both
are essential.  It is not a question of one or the other.
 
Thanks for pointing that out.
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>

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