Pollen Sub Improvement

Just a very short time ago I began to experiment with Feeding Pollen Sub.
I've learned a lot and have seen the potential for this to be a great tool.

I've mixed a few smaller batches, experimented and have a recipe I'm happy enough with to mix a large batch and feed for the remainder of the time I add sub. I'll offer some on here once I understand where I'm at and if I have extra.

The basic recipe is
Brewers yeast #10
Egg #5
Oils. 1 pt
Corn syrup 1 qt
Sugar #25
Isolate 1#
Acids
Vitamins
Attractants E.O's
Water
Etc.

The recipe is a combination of common recipes found on the Internet and speaking with local beekeepers.
I cut the amounts down to give a general idea, the oil is a couple ounces more etc. Acid is lemon juice, vitamin C and citric acid I'm still waffling on lemon and the consitancy of ph it provides.

It's high in sugar and has no soy flour to contribute to my goal of having it consumed quickly and discourage SHB.

I'd like to continue to improve so here are some of the areas I think I need to address first

Sterols,Lipids,cholesterol - what oils or fats I'm using a combination now. As you can see I'm leaning toward higher fat content to both ensure requirements are met as well as keeping product usable and attractive.

Vitamins- Here in Florida my bees aren't stressed as others my be. They often have access to forage.
I'm as concerned with giving them the wrong vitamin or too much of I'm the right ones. That said I need a good... No make that great source of vitamin A & K. I think I've got one but I'm not sure about accessibility of the nutrient so it shall remain nameless. Thoughts?

Isolate proteins, what offers the balance to brewers yeast, eggs with attention to value?

Minerals, I'm erroring on the side of too little for my environment I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the biology and at higher amounts may do harm.

This study made me think that it's not about developing a Pollen Sub but maybe about developing a product that bees can easily utilize to turn into bee bread. I know it's not a huge distinction but it maybe an important one

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:...l.pone.0032962

Thanks

Leave out the egg!
Samonella!

I have found by adding dehydrated milk to Megs bee the bee like it better.

I also have used rice bran and baker’s yeast in the mix.

It was implied that I would use safe ingredients.

Dairy? Maybe Casein but its $$

Brewers yeast, Soy, and Inedible egg work well. Calculate the fat content of your sub...

I have tried dry whole milk but it has only 26% protein and has 28% fat...

Quote:

---

This study made me think that it's not about developing a Pollen Sub but maybe about developing a product that bees can easily utilize to turn into bee bread. I know it's not a huge distinction but it maybe an important one

---

sounds to me like a huge distinction - thanks for the perspective and the article:applause:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RAK

Brewers yeast, Soy, and Inedible egg work well. Calculate the fat content of your sub...

I have tried dry whole milk but it has only 26% protein and has 28% fat...

---

Thanks
Do you have a recommended target for fat % ? Why?
Does anyone have a good link to a feed calculator that works well?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by arrowwood

sounds to me like a huge distinction - thanks for the perspective and the article:applause:

---

It's a worthwhile read. Lots of info almost too much .

I'm just waiting on one item and I'll go ahead and mix up a batch.

I can't say I've got my heart set on trying any separate batches.

I did find mention of "back in he day" beekeepers adding Rum and or Tang powdered drink mix.
I guess the modern equivalent would be Patron and Gatorade ?

I think Tang was used for the vit. C

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mbeck

Thanks
Do you have a recommended target for fat % ? Why?

---

I mix mine with
6% fat content
20% protein


Good pollen will have average of 20% protein and somewhere with at least 5% fat. You will also want to add some some citric acid crystals.

Bees don't eat pollen but bee bread. That the whole point of "patties". I have tasted bee bread and my own pollen sub...both taste good.;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RAK

Good pollen will have average of 20% protein

---

RAK, some good points you made, good pollen will avg 26%. Steady she go's men. :)

Thanks for the feed back. It's funny I kind of like the taste of sub as well

I've been feeding and observing.
Consistency is something I still need to get perfect.

The ROI on this project is good. The hives that have had pollen sub have a lot more brood than those that haven't. It's close to three frames more brood on the hives that have been fed 4-5 #.
No issue with SHB but they aren't real bad yet,time will tell.