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 [email protected].
Clarivate Journal Impact Factor (2023): 0.7
Clarivate Journal Citation Indicator (2023): 0.32
Scopus CiteScore (2023): 1.5
Artificial neural networks for predicting first-lactation 305-day milk yield in crossbred cattle
This study was conducted using the first-lactation records of 1092 Vrindavani crossbred cattle to compare the relative efficiency of an artificial neural network (ANN) versus multiple linear regression for predicting the first-lactation 305-day milk yield (FL305DMY). The two input sets…
Heat stress in dairy cows: A review of abiotic and biotic factors, with reference to the subtropics
Heat stress has been identified as one of the major challenges for livestock production. Global temperatures are steadily increasing, with South African temperatures increasing at nearly twice the global rate. Of the livestock used for food production, dairy cows are…
Could vitamin supplementation unlock the hidden potential of the indigenous Gerze chicken?
In this study, the broiler performance of Turkish Gerze chickens was investigated. One hundred and thirty day-old chicks were reared under intensive conditions until 20 weeks of age to examine whether administering a vitamin supplement via their drinking water would…
Gut dysbiosis: Nutritional causes and risk prevention in poultry, with reference to other animals
The poultry gastrointestinal microbiome consists of more than 900 bacterial species and their metabolites; it serves as an indicator of bird health and is influenced by nutrition, medication, and other factors. Dysbiosis is a form of reduced microbial diversity, characterised…
The effect of ecotype and year on the production and reproductive performance of Nguni cows in the Limpopo Province of South Africa
This study investigated the effects of Nguni cattle ecotype and year on the production and reproductive performance of cows in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Production data for 471 calvings (142 Venda, 65 Shangaan, and 264 Pedi ecotype Nguni…
Breeding practices and trait preferences of sheep farmers from two villages in Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Despite the large genetic diversity within South Africa’s sheep population, average productivity on smallholdings remains low. This study therefore aimed to identify the breeding practices and trait preferences of sheep farmers in the Makurung and Lenting villages, Limpopo Province, for…
The effect of a phytogenic-based feed additive on concurrent Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infections in pigs
This study investigated the efficacy of a commercial phytogenic-based premixed feed additive (PFA) in treating combined Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infections in finishing pigs, with tiamulin/lincomycin treatment as the control. Pigs aged 20 weeks were allocated to PFA treatment…
The identification of low-producing hens in egg production systems using objective methods
In commercial egg production, hen productivity declines over time, leading to flock disposal for economic reasons at 72–80 weeks of age. Identifying and removing low-producing hens can enhance economic sustainability by maximising the performance of high-performing hens and conserving feed…
The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs
This study investigated the effects of incremental increases in acid detergent fibre (ADF) content on the nutrient digestibility and performance of South African Mutton Merino wether lambs fed low-fibre finishing diets. Four dietary treatments were formulated with similar nutritional compositions,…
Behaviour of commercial layer hens in enriched cages and floor systems examined using human and video-based observations
There is considerable pressure to eliminate the use of conventional cages in commercial layer hen production systems. However, the assessment of alternative systems that can ensure the hen's ability to perform natural behaviours, while simultaneously enhancing farm productivity and economic…
Erratum to ‘PCV2: The unexpected threat – How fish infection can transform industries and society: A pilot study’
The article ‘PCV2: The unexpected threat - How fish infection can transform industries and society: A pilot study’ (SAJAS volume 54, issue 1, DOI: 10.4314/sajas.v54i1.11) was initially published with an incorrect author list. The correct author list is as follows: D.F…
The effects of monochromatic LED light from one to 14 days of age on the growth, muscle development, and blood parameters of goslings
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of monochromatic light on the growth performance, muscle development, and blood parameters of goslings from one to 14 days of age. A total of 192 male Sichuan White goslings were randomly assigned…
Lamb behaviour during and shortly after tail-docking
Routine husbandry procedures for lambs are increasingly scrutinised for their animal welfare implications. One such procedure is tail-docking, which is commonly performed to prevent breech blowfly strike. Although tail-docking is considered painful for lambs, the precise level of pain remains…
An HPLC-MS/MS method for the quantification of heat stress-related milk metabolites in milk from Holstein-Friesian cross-bred cows in Tanzania
The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination and quantification of three metabolites in raw milk samples: creatinine, citrate, and β-hydroxybutyrate (3-BHB). The effect of the…
Erratum to ‘Effects of rumen undegradable protein source on feed intake and milk yield of Holstein dairy cows’
The article ‘Effects of rumen undegradable protein source on feed intake and milk yield of Holstein dairy cows’ (SAJAS volume 53, issue 5, DOI: 10.4314/sajas.v53i5.15) was initially published with an incorrect author list. The correct author list is as follows:…
Effects of propylene glycol and organic chromium on milk production and blood parameters in early lactation dairy cows
This study assessed the effects of supplementing organic chromium (Cr), alone and in combination with propylene glycol (PG), on milk yield and blood chemistry in early lactation dairy cows. Thirty multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to three treatments: control…
Tannin extract dietary thresholds for preventing unacceptable suppression in intake, digestibility, and growth in sheep and cattle: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis aimed to identify the optimal inclusion and threshold levels for black wattle, quebracho, and chestnut tannin extracts (TE) in sheep and cattle, in terms of their effects on dry matter intake (DMI), digestibility, weight gain, and nitrogen balance…
Phenotypic characterisation of four naked neck chicken ecotypes indigenous to Pakistan
This study characterised four naked neck chicken phenotypes (black, white-and-black, light brown, and dark brown) at 20 weeks of age, based on both qualitative and quantitative traits. A total of 320 birds were evaluated, with 40 males and 40 females…
The effects of supplementing prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) powder on dairy calves’ health and growth performance
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) powder and Lactobacillus supplements on calf growth and faecal pathogen counts. Prickly pear leaves were harvested, sun-dried for 14 days, and oven-dried at 105 °C, before grinding…
Dietary supplementation with zinc oxide nanoparticles improves growth performance and gut microbiota of broiler chickens reared in the tropics
This study evaluated the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, serum biochemistry, and gut microbial counts of broiler chickens reared in a tropical environment. A total of 120 one-day-old broiler chicks were assigned using a completely randomized design…
