The influence of feed additives on the acceptance and quality of queen bees

Abstract

Currently, many scientists have proven the positive influence of feed additives on the productivity of different types of farm animals including bees since feed additives have a positive effect on the honey productivity of bee colonies and the quality of queen bees. The purpose of our work was to identify the effect of probiotics on the background of the dietary supplement Eracond on the acceptance of larvae and the weight of infertile queens. The scientific and economic experiment has been carried out on bees of Bashkir breed in an apiary located in the village of Nekrasovka in the Kartalinsky district in the Chelyabinsk region. Three groups of queen-rearing colony have been formed three in each. In the 2nd and 3rd experimental groups against the background of dietary supplement Erakond (50 mg/ kg) have been given: in the 2nd experimental group sugar syrup with Lactobacterin three doses per family, in the 3rd experimental group sugar syrup with Vetom 1,1 at the dose of 50 mg/kg. As a result, all the additives in the 2nd and 3rd experimental groups gave a positive result. The greatest effect on all indicators has been obtained with the combined use of 50 % sugar syrup with the addition of Eracond phytopreparation (50 mg/kg) and Vetom 1,1 probiotic (50 mg/kg). Feeding these drugs to queen rearing colonies contributed to the increase in the acceptance of larvae by 23,3 %, compared with the control and by 7,8 % compared with the 2nd experimental group, also had the positive influence on the weight of infertile queens by 11,4 % compared with the control group. The use of Vetom and Eracond contributed to the increase in the egg production of queens by 64,2, 54,9 and 57,0 % compared with the control for three accounting periods as well as the increase in the honey collection by 33,83 % or 4,5 kg.