Breeding group progress

[B+.]

There's some interesting charts (http://www.beebreed.nl/teeltwaarde.html) showing the progress made over the last 10 years
a) NL group against Weser-Ems and Beebreed as a whole.
b) In the traits beekeepers usually look for (honey yield, docility, varroa tolerance and swarming).

I think these illustrate very well what can be done with selective breeding

 

[Walrus]

It looks fantastic to me. Out of interest, what is the available pool of queens to choose from and how many get chosen to be breeders each year?

Also, any thoughts on the relationship between swarming and varroa tolerance? It looks like when one improves the other falls back...sort of...I wonder if there is any relationship or just coincidence.

 

[foghornleghorn]

There's some interesting charts (http://www.beebreed.nl/teeltwaarde.html) showing the progress made over the last 10 years
a) NL group against Weser-Ems and Beebreed as a whole.
b) In the traits beekeepers usually look for (honey yield, docility, varroa tolerance and swarming).

I think these illustrate very well what can be done with selective breeding

It doesn't always translate into actual improvements in the field. See it a lot in cattle breeding that the ratings might go up over the base but at farm level there might be no difference at all compared to lesser rated animals

 

[B+.]

It looks fantastic to me. Out of interest, what is the available pool of queens to choose from and how many get chosen to be breeders each year?

Also, any thoughts on the relationship between swarming and varroa tolerance? It looks like when one improves the other falls back...sort of...I wonder if there is any relationship or just coincidence.

Generally, we all test daughters of a chosen line mated to the same drones on the island of Vlieland. In 2018, two different 2a queen mothers were used and daughters mated to the same drones. We also test any other queens from the beebreed population we are interested in.

I am not sure how big the population is because it changes every year (several thousand). There is an article here (http://www.beebreed.nl/abj-2008.pdf) that was written 10 years ago that gives an impression of the scale. She talks about thousands of queens per year then and lots has changed over the years.

To be honest, I don't think you can really draw any conclusion on correlation between traits from the graphs presented because we are all free to test queens other than NL-Line. I wouldn't be inclined to say anything other than there appears to be an upward trend in all of the traits measured.

 

[B+.]

It doesn't always translate into actual improvements in the field. See it a lot in cattle breeding that the ratings might go up over the base but at farm level there might be no difference at all compared to lesser rated animals

This may well be true. The farm would have to adopt the same animals as the test group but farms are driven by commercial pressures and they may not always wish to do the work to conduct the tests.

 

[B+.]

It looks fantastic to me. Out of interest, what is the available pool of queens to choose from and how many get chosen to be breeders each year?

I would refer you to Prof Bienefeld or Dr Hoppe for up-to-date figures as I don't have access to that information

From the "About" page on beebreed.eu

Institute for Bee Research, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32
D-16540 Hohen Neuendorf
Telefon: 03303/2938-30
Fax: 03303/2938-40
[email protected]
Homepage
authorized to represent: Prof. Dr. Kaspar Bienefeld
registration court: Amtsgericht Neuruppin
registration number: VR 1333 NP

update and support

Dr. Andreas Hoppe, LIB
E-Mail

 

[foghornleghorn]

This may well be true. The farm would have to adopt the same animals as the test group but farms are driven by commercial pressures and they may not always wish to do the work to conduct the tests.

The data collected on cattle here is like beebreed x by a few thousand. Pretty much all cattle families linked and milk recording + carcasses traits all recorded, as well as genomics. Just really there's only so much improvement that can give noticeable results in the real world IMO. But all the continued evaluation is necessary to make sure things don't go backwards

 

[JEP]

B+ Please could you explain to me what the figures translate into in real terms over the last 10 years? I am relying on google translate and am struggling to understand the scale on the graphs.

Essentially I am asking what the average honey yield 10 years ago was vs now, and also average rate of varroa reproduction in an untreated colony (over a set time e.g one year) vs the average now?

I appreciate you taking the time to explain this to those of us less informed on the project than yourself.

Kind Regards,
James

 

[beebopper]

The data collected on cattle here is like beebreed x by a few thousand. Pretty much all cattle families linked and milk recording + carcasses traits all recorded, as well as genomics. Just really there's only so much improvement that can give noticeable results in the real world IMO. But all the continued evaluation is necessary to make sure things don't go backwards

Not questioning what you are saying but don’t understand why that would be. Is it simply due to environment difference? Been trying to figure out what is going on.

 

[B+.]

B+ Please could you explain to me what the figures translate into in real terms over the last 10 years? I am relying on google translate and am struggling to understand the scale on the graphs.

Essentially I am asking what the average honey yield 10 years ago was vs now, and also average rate of varroa reproduction in an untreated colony (over a set time e.g one year) vs the average now?

I appreciate you taking the time to explain this to those of us less informed on the project than yourself.

Kind Regards,
James

The scale on the left is breeding value percentage, so it's showing how the breeding value has risen over time
Typing isn't easy on my phone. I am in South Wales so only have my phone with me

 

[JEP]

The scale on the left is breeding value percentage, so it's showing how the breeding value has risen over time
Typing isn't easy on my phone. I am in South Wales so only have my phone with me

OK - But isn't breeding value a comparison against the mean of your own test population. What I am getting at is how does this relate to a comparison against bees in general outside of the breeding program. Its probably just me being a little thick today but I am struggling to understand the information presented in the graphs.

 

[JEP]

Ah I think I get it at last - its basically saying that the Dutch group of bee breed is doing the best - correct?

 

[foghornleghorn]

Not questioning what you are saying but don’t understand why that would be. Is it simply due to environment difference? Been trying to figure out what is going on.

I think at some stage you reach the point where management and environment becomes more important, and it may so happen that lesser rated genetics might be better suited to a certain situation. The numbers and predictions are great but definitely don't always guarantee improvement in cattle and I can't see any reason why bees would be any different

 

[B+.]

Ah I think I get it at last - its basically saying that the Dutch group of bee breed is doing the best - correct?

Yes. The recent results have been good.

 

[Beefriendly]

I'm hearing that VSH Buckfast queens are available from next year.
Excellent news.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Jens-Buckfast-Zucht have just announced they will be selling high hygienic buckfast breeder queens from next year £146 each. Well worth a punt if your in a breeding group.

 

[Beefriendly]

Jens-Buckfast-Zucht

Shhhh..there won't be any left.
A theoretical discussion on introducing VSH to a countries bees revolved round non treatment and constant buying of VSH queens.
Can't see that happening myself.

 

[beebopper]

I'm hearing that VSH Buckfast queens are available from next year.
Excellent news.

From whom? Just seen the post above that answers this. Expensive.

 

[Finman]

Treatment cost per hive is then £100.... If it works...

 

[Stiffy]

I'm hearing that VSH Buckfast queens are available from next year.
Excellent news.

I have just read the Peter Stofen newsletter and the VSH Buckfast look very interesting.
S