Ashlyn Janelle Hurst Stephens

Mrs. Ashlyn Janelle Hurst Stephens


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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16 July 2026 in Preprints.org
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ASAshlyn Janelle Hurst Stephens
Ashlyn Janelle Hurst Stephens
CSCamila Eduarda Souza de Sousa
Camila Eduarda Souza de Sousa
WSWilliam Brandon Smith
William Brandon Smith
MMM. Kimberly Mullenix
M. Kimberly Mullenix
SJS. Maggie Justice
S. Maggie Justice
Sandra Leanne DillardSandra Leanne Dillard
Sandra Leanne Dillard
Warm-season annual forages are highly digestible and commonly used to complement perennial grass pastures during the summer. This study evaluated in vitro and in situ di-gestibility and digestion kinetics of mixtures composed of crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis [L.] Scop.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) grown alone (G) or combined with 30% forage soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) (G+L) across the growing season. Digest-ibility was assessed through in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) and in situ ruminal incuba-tion. A treatment × month interaction (P < 0.01) affected IVTD, with both treatments de-clining from July to September and no differences between G and G+L across months. A treatment × incubation time interaction (P < 0.01) was also detected. The G mixture reached a digestion plateau between 48 and 72 h, whereas G+L did not stabilize during the evalu-ated period, with differences between treatments observed only at 72 h, when G+L showed greater in vitro digestibility. In situ analysis showed that G had a greater disappearance fraction (D₀), whereas G+L had a greater indigestible fraction (U) throughout the season. The inclusion of 30% forage soybean did not improve overall digestibility, indicating that this strategy alone is insufficient to offset forage maturation effects.