Economic aspects of honey bee queen breeding: insights from a European study
Journal
Journal of Apicultural Research
Date Issued
2024-06-14
Author(s)
Dimitrov, Lazo
Costa, Cecilia
Meixner, Marina D.
Le Conte, Yves
Mondet, Fanny
Kovačić, Marin
Carreck, Norman L.
Basso, Benjamin
Bienkowska, Malgorzata
Dall’Olio, Raffaele
Charistos, Leonidas
Hatjina, Fani
Wirtz, Ursula
Büchler, Ralph
DOI
10.1080/00218839.2024.2361944
Abstract
In 2017, the European Commission initiated the EurBeST study to explore the possibilities of
using selective breeding of honey bees to increase Varroa resistance traits. One of the specific
aims of the study was to assess the process of honey bee queen breeding through an
economic analysis. The methodology for calculating the costs of queen production (queen
rearing and mating), colony evaluation and expenses for estimating breeding values is based
on the Cost of Production (CoP). Cost data were collected via tailor-made questionnaires
and interviews performed in five European countries (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and
Poland). The sample population consisted of 20 queen producers and 20 performance testers
who participated in the study. The results showed that the average costs for queen production
amounted to 22.58 e per queen, ranging from 8.22 e in Poland to 37.30 e in France.
The difference between the selling price and the production cost was on average 3.08 e per
queen, ranging from 15.86 e in Germany to −12.30 e in France. On average, the colony
evaluation costs were 193.40 e per colony. The average cost for breeding value estimation
per queen was 8.09 e. Thus, the average total cost per selected queen was 224 e. The
selective breeding of honey bees is an efficient way to increase productivity, reduce colony
losses, improve bee health and enable profitable operations, but it is expensive, is usually
promoted, practiced and implemented by scientists and researchers, and in most cases is
financed by external sources.
using selective breeding of honey bees to increase Varroa resistance traits. One of the specific
aims of the study was to assess the process of honey bee queen breeding through an
economic analysis. The methodology for calculating the costs of queen production (queen
rearing and mating), colony evaluation and expenses for estimating breeding values is based
on the Cost of Production (CoP). Cost data were collected via tailor-made questionnaires
and interviews performed in five European countries (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and
Poland). The sample population consisted of 20 queen producers and 20 performance testers
who participated in the study. The results showed that the average costs for queen production
amounted to 22.58 e per queen, ranging from 8.22 e in Poland to 37.30 e in France.
The difference between the selling price and the production cost was on average 3.08 e per
queen, ranging from 15.86 e in Germany to −12.30 e in France. On average, the colony
evaluation costs were 193.40 e per colony. The average cost for breeding value estimation
per queen was 8.09 e. Thus, the average total cost per selected queen was 224 e. The
selective breeding of honey bees is an efficient way to increase productivity, reduce colony
losses, improve bee health and enable profitable operations, but it is expensive, is usually
promoted, practiced and implemented by scientists and researchers, and in most cases is
financed by external sources.
Subjects
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