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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
allen dick <[log in to unmask]>
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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 1 Mar 2005 22:03:03 -0700
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> In case you didn't know, a great number of the Calif. queen producers
> exclusively use Brewer's Yeast and corn syrup, mixed in cement mixers,
> for an early spring protein boost.

Yes, we researched that years ago and discussed it here on BEE-L.  We bought
a lot of pallets of yeast from California Spray Dry before they shut down,
then went to International Ingredients for supplies.  We customized several
cement mixers, but found them a pain.  I suppose that if we mixed a thinner
dough and just ladled it out out of buckets onto the frames, that this would
have worked better, but we wanted patties for simplicity and because we hire
help, and that takes a fairly thick dough.

Anyhow, we made our own patties for years, incorporating ideas shared here
on the list and that experience is documented at
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/misc/pollen/ and
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/menus/topics.htm.

For a few patties, the work is not bad, but for thousands of pounds, the
thrill wears off quickly.  After a while, we tired of the mess and expense
of making the large quantities we needed and were lucky to find the guys who
set up Global, and they built a big machine and make the patties cheaper
than we can make them ourselves, and, within a few years pretty well all the
big commercial guys went to them because of the cost savings, quality work,
and convenience.
> Brewer's Yeast, I am told, is the
> primary ingredient in every pollen supplement or pollen substitute
> that is sold.

and

> 50# bags of feed grade yeast for around $25 from my local feed store.
> It is readily available and it works great.

Yup, but there are some kinds that are not suitable.  A search of the
archives could save any people thinking of doing this some grief.

We also discovered that unused yeast and soy in bags deteriorates quite
quickly if it is not fresh and not fed promptly.  That's one reason we pool
our orders and go factory-direct.

Medhat did some studies this year, and plans more this spring.  Maybe he
will comment.

> And the bees take it, unlike soy based substitutes.

We use both yeast and soy, and have found the bees will eat our patties at
any time of year.

allen
A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/

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