Powdered Sorghum as a pollen substitute

[Chanticleer48]

Has anyone ever used powdered sorghum for a pollen substitute?  If yes, did it work well?  If no, what do you think?  I believe it has between 22% to 25% protein.

[Michael Bush]

The grain, sorghum?  I have only used full fat soy flour.  Do you have an amino acid assay for typical sorghum?  The bees require certain amino acids... that is as important as the protein content.

[Chanticleer48]

I have been comparing sorghum flour to full fat soy flour and have concluded that the soy flour and sorghum flour are very similar with soy having a slight edge because of its slightly higher protein level:  soy - around 22 to 24% while sorghum has 20 to 22%.  Both have comparable amino acids, fat, and nutritional values.

I was wanting to use the sorghum because I have access to all the sorghum I want and all I have to do is flour it.  Any thoughts?

[Michael Bush]

Look at paragraph 2.5:
http://www.beeccdcap.uga.edu/documents/caparticle10.html

Also here:
http://www.honeybee.com.au/Library/pollen/nutrition.html

I don't know what the breakdown of amino acids is in sorghum flour.  All the studies I've seen show that substitute (anything other than real pollen) makes short lived bees.  I've never had a need for short lived bees...

[Chanticleer48]

Mr. Bush, do you currently use pollen substitute?

[Michael Bush]

>Mr. Bush, do you currently use pollen substitute?

I fed real pollen this fall.  No substitute.  I have mixed full fat soy flour with real pollen sometimes when I was short on pollen.  I currently do not use pollen substitute.

[Chanticleer48]

Thank you for the information.