German government is planning a law which prohibits breeding several dog races, including Germans own Dachshund. The underlaying reason is the concern of animal health: Dachshund has back problems, other races problems with breathing etc. We should not continue breeding suffering animals, animals with health problems. German is by the way not the first country to react: Norway banned 2 years ago breeding of English bulldog and Cavalier King Charles spaniel. https://www.businessinsider.com/iconic-dachshund-faces-ban-germany-health-problems-reports-2024-3?op=1
What is the message to beekeepers?
I think varroa treatments should be banned by law. We have now seen where this road goes. After several decades experience of treatments, things have only worsened. Treatments are the most certain way to breed weaker bees. Treatments are a vicious circle, which lead to more treatments, health concerns of bees and humans and more virulent viruses and other disease problems.
Breeding varroa resistant bees is important, but, without a law prohibiting treatments we are not going to reach our goal.
We need a transitional period, maybe 20 years or even more. Biggest obstacles are not the bees, but beekeepers attitudes and knowhow. Bees, nature, would have tackled varroa problem ages ago without human intervention and disturbance. This is something we all need to acknowledge.
naturebees 