Current studies are aimed towards utilizing certain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains with high-yielding beneficial organic acid production for enhancing the quality of forages during preservation (otherwise known as ensiling) and to improve animal feed production. This study addresses the challenges of ensiling alfalfa (a kind of roughage frequently utilized as an animal feed in the livestock industries), such as low water-soluble carbohydrate, high water and fiber content, and high buffering capacity, by unraveling the positive interaction mechanisms of mixed LAB inoculants (homo-and heterofermentative LAB strains) and dominant epiphytic LAB in altering the development of pathogenic microorganisms and consequently improving the fermentation characteristics, chemical compositions, bacterial community, and functional profile of alfalfa after 60 d of ensiling.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.