Motile enterococci (Streptococcus faecium var. mobilis var. n.) isolated from grass silage.

Hugh (1959) recently reported on motile enterococci isolated from human sources. He pointed out that motile strains in the genus Streptococcus are considered rare, and suggested that they have gone unrecognized simply because investigators have failed to examine for motility and flagella. Actually many strains of motile streptococci have been isolated and studied and the reader is referred to Hugh's paper for a rather extensive review of this group. vMotile streptococci previously examined have been of animal or human origin, and have been identified as Streptococcus faecalis or varieties of this species. The results reported here describe the cultural, morphological, and physiological characteristics of motile streptococci isolated from silage fermentations. The strains studied showed some resemblance to S. faecalis, but the majority of characteristics place them in the species Streptococcus faecium (Orla-Jensen, 1919).