Impact of exopolysaccharide production by microbial inoculants on the quality and digestibility of silage

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Dairy producers have expressed problems with silage that impact their ability to produce milk with consistent quality. Silage quality can be improved through management of microbial communities on the farm. Lallemand Animal Nutrition is interested in silage quality and developing biocontrol strategies using inoculants. However, more knowledge is needed to understand the strengths and weaknesses of these biocontrol agents in order to target their use to the proper conditions for application. In particular, the impact of exopolysaccharides produced by bacterial inoculants on the composition of microbial communities during the ensiling process and the resulting silage quality and digestibility has not been thoroughly investigated. This project aims to generate knowledge that can be used to manage microbial interactions to improve silage quality. An enriched knowledge base on microbial communities in the production environment will lead to improved guidelines and strategies that will be transferred to producers.