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PROfarm

Queen bee breeding - PROfarm course

Course details

Name: Queen bee breeding
Description: This course suits beekeepers and people interested in entering the queen bee industry.
Cost: After NSW Government subsidy, $505 GST-free.
Course aims:
  • Develop an understanding of queen bee production.
  • Develop and demonstrate the skills to produce quality queen bees.
Learning outcomes:
  • Graft queen cells with correct age larvae.
  • Raise quality queen bees.
  • Implement a queen breeding program
Length: 3 days
Course program/structure: Day 1
  • Introduction
  • Queen bee rearing principles
  • Cell bars and cell raising colonies
  • Grafting
  • Managing small and large numbers of cells
  • Importance of nutrition and disease management

Day 2

  • Biology of honey bees
  • Castes
  • Reproductive system
  • Life cycle
  • Genetics
  • Breeding program and selection of stock
  • Mating procedure
  • Drone mother hive management
  • Nucleus colony size/management
  • Mating yard design

Day 3

  • Catching, marking, clipping, and caging queen bees
  • Packing, mailing and transporting queen bees
  • Banking queens
  • Queen candy
  • Queen bee introduction
  • Queen bee industry/markets
  • Artificial Insemination (AI)
  • Calendar of operations
  • Export/import
  • Conclusion
Resources and method of delivery: Each participant receives a course manual and grafting kit.

This course is delivered using both indoor and outdoor instruction.

Accreditation: This course has been mapped to a new, soon to be endorsed, unit of competency, RTE3156A - Rear queen bees.

Register

Tocal College, CB Alexander Campus
Phone: 1800 025 520
Email: profarm@tocal.com

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