The South African Journal of Animal Science is an open access journal. The journal publishes reports of research dealing with production of farmed animal species (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, poultry and ostriches), as well as pertinent aspects of research on aquatic and wildlife species. All submitted articles are subjected to a single-blind peer review process that is managed by a sub-editor under the supervision of the editor-in-chief. Copyright of a published article resides with the authors. Such articles will be published as open access content and be covered by the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 South African Licence. Users may copy, distribute, transmit and adapt the work, but must recognise the authors and the South African Journal of Animal Science.
The South African Journal of Animal Science makes use of an Online Journal Management System that was developed in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council to facilitate the manuscript submission and review process. Authors are kindly requested to submit all articles for publication in the South African Journal of Animal Science via the Online Journal Management system.
If you experience any problems with the system, please contact the editor-in-chief at sajas.eic@gmail.com.
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Changes in cardiac troponin I (cTnI), T (cTnT), and some biochemical parameters in Arabian racehorses after training
The aim of this study was to compare the changes in the content of cTnI, cTnT and some biochemical parameters (CK–MB, LDH, AST, ALT) in Arabian racehorses before and after training. Diagnosis of myocardial disease in horses is very difficult…
Organic minerals, tributyrin, and blend of organic acids in the diet of commercial laying hens at the end of production
This study aimed to evaluate the responses in performance, egg quality, and health of internal organs of laying hens of Hisex White lineage. The birds were provided with diets supplemented with organic minerals (OM) + tributyrin, associated or not with…
The relationship between the internal and external morphological parameters of honeybee queens (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the determination of morphological variation
This study was carried out to determine the crucial external and internal morphological characteristics for evaluating queens in three rearing periods (May, June, and July). Data of 65 queens reared from the local honeybees of the Sanliurfa (Apis mellifera L.)…
Principal Component Analysis of morphometric traits and body indices in South African Kalahari Red goats
Principal component analysis (PCA) is a vital statistical technique for defining the morphological structure of livestock but has not been used in South African Kalahari Red goats. Thirteen morphometric traits and eleven body indices from two hundred and ninety-six (296)…
Serological and haemato-biochemical insights into bovine leukosis in dairy cattle in D.I. Khan, Pakistan
Bovine leukosis is an economically important disease of dairy cattle caused by the bovine leukaemia virus (BLV). The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, haemato-biochemical effects, and risk factors pertinent to the prevalence of bovine leukosis in Holstein–Friesian purebred dairy…
Evaluation of Phyllanthus niruri L. powder on growth performance, haematology, and intestinal morphology of broilers
The objective of this study was to evaluate the dietary supplementation of Phyllanthus niruri L. powder (meniran powder, MeP) on the productivity, haematology profiles, and intestinal morphology of broilers. A total of 200 female, one-day-old chickens were allocated to five…
Synthesis and antibacterial activity of a ZnO-fibre complex
In this experiment, a ZnO-fibre complex was prepared using the hydrothermal methods of "water solubility," "coupling agent," and "high temperature and high pressure". Binding rate, antibacterial activity, microstructure, and the infrared spectrum were measured using biomimetic digestion, bacterial proliferation tests,…
Effects of far infrared ray illumination on the performance, blood biochemistry, and faecal microflora of laying hens at different production stages
This study investigated the effect of far-infrared ray (FIR) illumination on performance, blood biochemistry, and faecal microflora of laying hens at different production stages. A total of 360 Hy-line brown laying hens were randomly allocated in a 2 × 2…
Effects of mulberry leaves on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of Japanese quail
This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of mulberry leaves on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of Japanese quail. A total of 240 one-day-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly allocated to three experimental groups and fed a basal…
The effect of formaldehyde treatment of canola oilcake meal and sweet lupins on the in situ dry matter and crude protein digestibility
The value of feed protein sources in ruminant nutrition is measured by how effectively the protein is degraded in the rumen and converted into microbial protein. High-producing ruminants acquire high nutritional requirements to sustain their metabolic demands for production and…
Differential gene expression in the Longissimus dorsi of Nguni and Bonsmara bulls finished on low and high energy diets
Objectives of this research were to examine differential gene expression profiles of Nguni and Bonsmara cattle fed diets differing in their energy density. The ultimate goal was to improve understanding of the mechanisms that underlie differences between these breeds and…
In vitro ruminal fermentation parameters of canola meal protein in response to incremental doses of gamma irradiation
Rapid ruminal degradation of canola meal (CM) limits its feed value for high-producing ruminants. Attempts to reduce ruminal degradability of CM through gamma irradiation have generated conflicting results. While this strategy has the potential to reduce CM degradability, the optimal…
Effects of yeast hydrolysate versus plasma powder on growth, immunity, and intestinal morphology of weanling piglets
Yeast hydrolysate (YH) is rich in amino acids, small peptides, B vitamins, glutathione, and nucleotides, which makes it a possible substitute for spray-dried plasma powder (SDPP). This research was conducted to estimate the application of YH instead of SDPP in creep…
Assessing the efficiency of smallholder wool farmers in the changing paradigms of the Free State province of South Africa
The South African population is predicted to increase to almost 66 million by 2030. This necessitates paradigm shifts to improve agricultural efficiency. However, South African wool production has continuously declined over the past three decades. The study analysed the efficiency of smallholder…
Performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fed on diets with different levels of concentrate
The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of diets with increasing concentrate levels on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of Murrah buffaloes in feedlot. Twenty-four animals, with an initial body weight of 240 ± 50.5 kg…
Nutritional regulation of gut health through the gastrointestinal tract microbiota in weaning piglets
Piglets experience stresses that impact intestinal homeostasis and result in a high incidence of diarrhoea and reduced growth performance during weaning. Recent studies have indicated that gastrointestinal tract microbiota can be nutritionally regulated in ways that can benefit and promote…
Phenotypic diversity of local goats in northern Mexico
The study documented phenotypic diversity of local goats from Comarca Lagunera in northern Mexico. Two hundred and five goats were chosen from 2980 local animals. Morpho-structural and phenotypic traits, age, live weight, body condition, and 33 zoometric characteristics were recorded.…
Effect of starch and crude protein in supplemental feed on rumen fermentation, growth performance, and carcass characteristics in early- and late-fattening Hanwoo steers
Recently, there has been an increased focus on developing high-energy and high-protein feeds for Hanwoo steers in Korea to reduce the fattening period and decrease production costs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different starch…
Spatio-temporal epidemiological survey reveals high infestation and extensive species diversity of hard ticks infesting camels from Pakistan
Camel production is severely hampered in Pakistan by a wide range of diseases, including ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Camels serve as hosts for various tick-borne pathogens that can lead to human illnesses. Thereby, it was necessary to identify tick species and…
Effects of lamb sex, parity, and birth type on milk yield, lactation length, and milk components in Zom ewes raised under semi-intensive conditions
This study aimed to determine the effects of parity, birth type, and lamb sex on milk yield, lactation length, milking period, and milk components in Zom ewes. In this study, which included 83 Zom ewes, it was observed that birth…
