In this short note we present comparable loss rates of honey bee colonies during winter 2015/16 from 29 countries, obtained with the COLOSS questionnaire. Altogether, we received valid answers from 19,952 beekeepers. These beekeepers collectively wintered 421,238 colonies, and reported 18,587 colonies with unsolvable queen problems and 32,048 dead colonies after winter. This gives an overall loss rate of 12.0% (95% confidence interval 11.8%-12.2%) during winter 2015/16, with marked differences among countries. Beekeepers in the present study assessed 7.6% (95% CI 7.4%-7.8%) of their colonies as dead or empty, and 4.4% (95% CI 4.3%-4.5%) as having unsolvable queen problems after winter. The overall analysis showed that small operations suffered higher losses than larger ones. A table with detailed results and a map showing response and relative risks at regional level are presented

This study was aimed at determining the effects of two phytogenic antioxidants, namely, cinnamaldehyde and 1,8-cineole, and an antibiotic added to laying hen feed on the fatty acid profile of egg yolk and the weight loss and lipid peroxidation levels of eggs stored for different periods. Ninety-six 48-week-old Bovans White hens were randomly assigned to four groups, each with four replicates of six hens per replicate. The four groups were provided with the following feeds: maize and soybean-based laying hen feed, basal ration (control group); basal ration added 500 mg/kg of an antibiotic; basal ration added 100 mg/kg of cinnamaldehyde; and basal ration added 100 mg/kg of 1,8-cineole. At the end of an eight-week feeding schedule, 48 eggs, including 12 from each group, were used for yolk fatty acid analysis. In total, 240 eggs, including 48 eggs for each of the five different storage periods tested (1, 14, 28, 42, and 56 days), were collected for the detection of egg weight loss and yolk malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The feed supplements cinnamaldehyde and 1,8-cineole were determined to have significantly reduced lipid peroxidation in the yolk of eggs stored for 14, 28, 42, and 56 days, when compared with the results of the control group and antibiotic-treated group. Furthermore, dietary cinnamaldehyde supplementation was determined to have decreased the yolk level of myristic acid, a saturated fatty acid, and to have increased the yolk level of oleic acid, the major unsaturated fatty acid found in egg yolk (46.28%) in comparison with the levels measured in the other three groups. Cinnamaldehyde and 1,8-cineole were determined to extend the shelf life of eggs by providing protection against free oxygen radicals. Cinnamaldehyde could be used as an alternative feed supplement to enrich the yolk fatty acid profile in unsaturated fatty acids.

Genetic variations among native and local chicken populations in six different locations across Turkey were established using 15 ISSR primers, and produced 87 bright and reproducible bands. According to pairwise genetic differentiation among the populations (G ST ), the highest genetic differentiation was determined between the Samsun and Yozgat population and the lowest was observed between the Dulkadirli and Budak populations. Shannon's index was calculated to be 0.239. The gene flow (Nm) among the populations was estimated to be 3.489. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) identified 13% of the total genetic variation between the populations and the rest of the differences were 87% within the populations. Cluster analysis revealed two main branches, one leading to the domestic chicken population collected from Samsun in the Black Sea region of Turkey, the other branch clustered into two branches; one branch consisting of the Denizli Native Chicken population and the other one of domestic chicken populations sampled from Central Anatolia populations. The study is important to clarify the indigenous chicken genetic resources in Turkey. The results could be used for future breeding research conducted by either the public or private sectors.

Many studies have reported sudden and large-scale losses in honey bee colonies. There is no precise explanation for this happening, but it may be caused by the interaction of pathogenic viruses and ectoparasite Varroa destructor. Deformed-wing virus (DWV) is common in Apis mellifera L. and has been implicated in worldwide Varroa-associated colony losses. Hygienic behavior may be one of the ways that limit V. destructor infestation level and DWV load. The purpose of this research was to determine whether the selection of higher hygienic behavior is effective against V. destructor and DWV. Workers and pupae of A. m. anatoliaca were collected from colonies showing four generations of hygienic behaviodr, and non-hygienics were used as a control. Loads of DWV were investigated by one-step RT-qPCR, and the bottom-board method was used to allow mites count. The prevalence of DWV in pupae were higher in hygienic colonies (69.0%, average viral load 234.38) than control colonies (60.8% average viral load 937.70). However, the prevalence of worker bees infected with DWV was lower in hygienic colonies (41.3%, average viral load 181627.69) than in control's (66.0%, average viral load 241982.35). Although the averages of the Varroa counts were significantly different for both hygienic (28.92) and control colonies (108.90), we could not find any correlation between DWV loads of both workers and pupae in this study. When all these results are evaluated, the selection performed in terms of hygienic behavior can said to have been said successful against DWV.