Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXII, Issue 1
Written by Valeria VRABIE, Valeriu DERJANSCHI, Valentina CIOCHINA, Elvira VRABIE
The content and quality of the dietary proteins determines its preferences and accessibility for honey bees, and represent the basis for the elaboration of protein additives for supplementary bee feeding, which is increasingly applied in beekeeping practices to compensate the amino acid deficiency when natural pollen is scarce. The use of sugar and whey syrup as a protein supplement for early spring feeding stimulates the growth of bee colonies by 13.1-14.5% and increases productivity in harvesting acacia honey by 24.7-44.8%. The result is explained by the fact that whey contains a higher amount of essential amino acids compared to pollen. The whey also contains all vitamins of group B, enzymes and minerals that increase the working capacity of bees, ensure an intensification of the queen’s egg laying, improve the broad rearing. At the same time, sweetened whey may be used to obtain easily assimilable protein-carbohydrate food (honey) with a high content of amino acids for the nutrition of bee colonies in pollen-deficient periods in nature.
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