"Experientia docet" - Experience is the best teacher
Dead-in-shell positions of near-term ostrich embryos
The patterns of embryonic development in ostriches, especially in the last stage of hatching, are still not well understood. This study examined between 3468 and 3484 dead-in-shell (DIS) eggs with chicks that died between day 35 and day 42 of…
Relationship between feed characteristics and histomorphometry of small intestines of growing pigs
The use of agricultural by-products has become the central focus in reducing feed costs in pig production. However, there is a need to determine how the gastrointestinal tract of pigs responds when subjected to fibrous ingredients. The objective of the…
Evaluation of various feeding programmes on growth performance, carcass and meat qualities of Thai indigenous crossbred chickens
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of various feeding programmes on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and the meat qualities of Thai indigenous crossbred (50%) Korat chickens to obtain suitable feeding programmes. A total of 480 one-day-old mixed-sex Korat…
Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Merino, South African Mutton Merino and Dorper lambs
This study investigated the effect of feedlot production on lamb growth characteristics of three common South African breeds: Merino, South African Mutton Merino (SAMM) and Dorper. Lambs were supplied with a balanced diet (16% crude protein, 9.41 MJ ME/kg feed)…
Electroencephalographic responses to neck cut and exsanguination in minimally anaesthetized goats
Conscious animals typically experience sensory (nociception) and emotional pain, whereas unconscious animals that were minimally anesthetized would experience minimal emotional pain. To determine whether ‘silencing’ the emotional component through a minimally anesthetized model would minimize stress response, and thus improve…
Coefficient of standardized total tract digestibility of phosphorus in oilseed meals and distillers dried grains in growing-finishing pigs
This study was conducted to determine the coefficient of total tract standardized digestibility (CTTSD) of phosphorus (P) in oilseed meals and distillers dried grains (DDG) fed to growing-finishing pigs. Twelve barrows (initial bodyweight (BW) ± standard deviation, 52.25 ± 2.57…
Viability of bull semen extended with commercial semen extender and two culture media stored at 24 °C
The aim of this study was to evaluate the viability of bull spermatozoa diluted with commercial semen extender and two culture media stored at controlled room temperature (24 °C) for 72 hours. Two Nguni bulls were used for semen collection…
Isolation of total ribonucleic acid from fresh and frozen-thawed boar semen and its relevance in transcriptome studies (Short communication)
The main objective of this study was to isolate high-quality total ribonucleic acid (RNA) from raw fresh semen and frozen-thawed boar semen, using a protocol comprising the conventional TRIzol assay and a membrane-based technique, the PureLink RNA mini kit. Bioanalyzer…
Partial replacement of commercial soybean meal with raw, full-fat soybean meal supplemented with varying levels of protease in diets of broiler chickens
A 3 * 3 factorial study was used to evaluate the feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers fed on the test diets. The commercial soybean meal (SBM) was replaced by raw, full-fat…
Genetic polymorphism of CSN1S2 in South African dairy goat populations
Alpha-s2 casein has a significant influence on protein content in goat milk, and the technological properties important for cheese processing. Specific alleles (A, B, C, E and F) of the alpha (α)s2-casein gene (CSN1S2) result in higher protein, casein and…
Pre-slaughter effects on bleed-out times and some behavioural and physiological responses of Nguni and non-descript steers
The effect of loading, transportation, lairage and slaughter conditions on bleed-out times, behavioural and physiological responses of Nguni and non-descript steers reared extensively on natural pastures was investigated. Twenty Nguni (NG) and 20 non-descript (ND) steers were loaded and transported…
In situ ruminal degradability of protein feeds with distinct physical forms: a meta-analysis (Short communication)
In ruminant livestock, rumen undegradable protein (RUP) derived from the diet and microbial protein synthesized in the rumen are essential for animal survival, maintenance, growth, production, and reproduction. RUP is influenced by diet composition, physical form, and ruminal metabolism. Here,…
Effects of drying procedures on chemical composition and nutritive value of alfalfa forage (Short communication)
The effects of various drying procedures of alfalfa forage were evaluated on chemical composition, in vitro neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and dry matter (DM) digestibility, in situ DM, organic matter and crude protein (CP) degradability. The alfalfa had been harvested…
Relationship between sperm plasma membrane integrity and morphology and fertility following artificial insemination (Short communication)
Sperm quality plays an important role in determining fertility. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between sperm plasma membrane integrity and morphology, and fertility following artificial insemination (AI). A total of 16 ejaculates were collected from…
Physico-chemical quality attributes and fatty acid profiles of pork from Windsnyer and Large White gilts
The objective of the study was to assess the physico-chemical pork quality attributes and fatty acid profiles of indigenous Windsnyer (WS) and Large White (LW) gilts. Twelve gilts of each breed were fed similar commercial diets from weaning until slaughter…
Editorial: How to respond to reviewers’ comments
In my first 100 days of editing the South African Journal of Animal Science, I have found that most authors are having difficulties in addressing and responding to reviewers’/editors’ comments. Some authors have not been submitting response notes which clearly…
Alternative approaches to evaluation of cow efficiency
The purpose of this study was to evaluate alternative expressions of genetic merit for cow efficiency. Weights of Pinzgauer cattle taken at birth, weaning, and maturity were extracted from the South African National Database. Average daily gain from birth to…
Prolactin-RsaI gene polymorphism in East Anatolian Red cattle in Turkey
Prolactin (PRL) plays an important role in regulating mammary gland development, secreting milk, and expressing milk protein genes; making it a potential genetic marker and a candidate gene for production traits in dairy animals. The aim of the study was…
Effects of feeding cassava pulp fermented with Acremonium charticola on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and meat quality of broiler chicks
Cassava pulp is an energy-rich by-product of the tapioca industry, and is known as a good media for growing filamentous fungi. It may therefore be not only an alternative to maize in poultry diets, but also a carrier for beneficial…