Abstract: The present invention provides methods for rapidly determining the proportion of live, dead and stressed cells in a given microbial culture. The measurement of stressed cells is used as a quantitative indicator of the relative health of the population and the population's ability to withstand long term stress. The present methods comprise the steps of(i) staining the culture with a combination of membrane-permeable and membrane-impermeable stains; and(ii) quantifying the population of stressed cells, using the measurement thus obtained as an indicator of the relative health of the population.

Abstract: Silage is preserved by treatment with a small, but silage preserving effective amount of a seven strain inoculant, in which five of the strains are members of the Lactobacillus plantarum taxon and the remaining two strains are members of the Enterococcus faecium taxon. This seven strain inoculant is particularly effective in improving the aerobic stability as well as the rate and extent of digestibility of whole plant corn silage. It is also effective in improving animal milk and meat performance when animals are fed inoculated silage.