Department of Animal Science, Injibara University, Injibara, Ethiopia.
Department of Animal Production Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
PLoS One. 2024 May 29;19(5):e0303579. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303579. eCollection 2024.
The productivity and well-being of honey bee colonies are greatly influenced by the nutrients present in the hives. A study was conducted to evaluate different supplemental feeds on honey bee productive performance during dearth periods. Thirty colonies were grouped into five (four treatment groups and one control group) and each group contained three sub-groups (2 weak, 2 strong, and 2 very strong). Control groups were not given any supplementation. Treatment diets were T1 (50% sugar syrup + 14% roasted barley powder (beso) + 36% roasted spiced pea powder (Shiro)), T2 (50% powder sugar + 14% white sorghum powder + 36% bakery yeast, T3 (50% powder sugar + 14% white sorghum powder + 36% skimmed milk powder), T4 (50% sugar syrup with infusion of stinging nettle and 1% kerefa + 50% white sorghum powder). Feed was given on the entrance sides. The performance of experimental colonies was measured every 21 days in two phases during the dry season (from 3_2_2021 to 27_4_2021) and the rainy season (from 28-7_2021 to 1_10_2021). Feed intake, space (cm2) of pollen, nectar, and honey in the comb were measured using a frame-sized transparent grid meter. The study revealed significant differences (p<0.0001) in all measured parameters among the various treatments. The diet provided by T4 showed the highest levels of crude protein (18.15%) and carbohydrates (92.15%), whereas the diet presented by T3 had the lowest crude protein content (6.66%) and the diet offered by T1 had the lowest carbohydrate content (61.91%). In general, colonies that received T4 showcased superior performance compared to others. They exhibited a feed intake of 98.3%, a nectar area of 54.3 cm2, a pollen area of 68.7 cm2, a honey area of 311.2 cm2, and a honey yield of 7 kg. Consequently, their net profit amounted to 51.54 USD. On the other hand, the colonies that received T1 had the lowest performance indicators. They demonstrated a feed intake of only 54.7%, a nectar area of 37.6 cm2, a pollen area of 48.8 cm2, a honey area of 254.3 cm2, a honey yield of 2.8 kg, and a net profit of 18.81 USD. The significance of this study was to enable the beekeepers in realizing the effects of feed supplements on the productivity and profitability of honeybee colonies.
蜂群的生产力和福利受到蜂箱中存在的营养物质的极大影响。进行了一项研究，以评估在缺蜜期不同补充饲料对蜜蜂生产性能的影响。将 30 个蜂群分为五组（四个处理组和一个对照组），每组包含三个亚组（2 个弱群、2 个强群和 2 个超强群）。对照组不给予任何补充。处理组的饲料分别为 T1（50%糖蜜+14%烤大麦粉（beso）+36%烤调味豌豆粉（Shiro））、T2（50%糖粉+14%白高粱粉+36%面包酵母）、T3（50%糖粉+14%白高粱粉+36%脱脂奶粉）、T4（蜂箱入口处用荨麻和 1% kerefa 输注的 50%糖蜜+50%白高粱粉）。实验蜂群的性能在旱季（2021 年 3 月 2 日至 4 月 27 日）和雨季（2021 年 7 月 28 日至 10 月 1 日）的两个阶段每隔 21 天进行测量。使用框架大小的透明网格米测量饲料摄入量、花粉、花蜜和蜂巢中蜂蜜的空间（cm2）。研究表明，在所有测量参数中，不同处理之间存在显著差异（p<0.0001）。T4 组提供的饮食粗蛋白（18.15%）和碳水化合物（92.15%）含量最高，而 T3 组提供的饮食粗蛋白含量最低（6.66%），T1 组提供的饮食碳水化合物含量最低（61.91%）。一般来说，接受 T4 的蜂群表现优于其他蜂群。它们的饲料摄入量为 98.3%，花蜜面积为 54.3cm2，花粉面积为 68.7cm2，蜂蜜面积为 311.2cm2，蜂蜜产量为 7kg。因此，它们的净利润达到 51.54 美元。另一方面，接受 T1 的蜂群表现指标最低。它们的饲料摄入量仅为 54.7%，花蜜面积为 37.6cm2，花粉面积为 48.8cm2，蜂蜜面积为 254.3cm2，蜂蜜产量为 2.8kg，净利润为 18.81 美元。这项研究的意义在于使养蜂人认识到饲料补充对蜜蜂生产力和盈利能力的影响。
