The South African Journal of Animal Science is an open access, peer-reviewed journal. The journal publishes reports of research dealing with the production of farmed animal species (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, poultry and ostriches), as well as pertinent aspects of research on companion animals and aquatic and wildlife species. All submitted articles are subjected to a single-blind peer review process that is managed by a section 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.
Originally supported by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the South African Journal of Animal Science moved online in the early 2000s using a custom-built manuscript submission and editorial management system. In August 2025, the journal transitioned to the Public Knowledge Project’s Open Journal Systems (PKP OJS), hosted by Khulisa Journals at the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf).
In line with international best practices, the journal integrates key components of digital research infrastructure, including DOIs (digital object identifiers), ORCID iDs (researcher identifiers), ROR IDs (research organisation identifiers), and CCLs (Creative Commons Licences), ensuring transparency, traceability, and global interoperability.
As of August 2025, the South African Journal of Animal Science makes use of the Crossref 10.17159 DOI prefix. View the journal metadata health and the Crossref DOI Conflict Report here.
If you experience any problems with the journal’s online platform, please contact the editor-in-chief at [email protected].
Clarivate Journal Impact Factor (2024): 0.6 (Q4 of subject category)
Clarivate Journal Citation Indicator (2024): 0.26
Scopus CiteScore (2024): 1.4
The impact of multi-species bacteria as a probiotic on productive performance and egg quality of laying Japanese quail
This study investigated the effect of individual and/ or a mixture multi-species bacteria as a probiotic (Pediococcus acidilactici (T1), Enterococcus faecium (m74) + Pediococcus acidilactici (T2), and Bacillus licheniformis + B. subtilis (T3)) supplementation at different levels on productive performance…
Physico-chemical characteristics of meat after dietary supplementation of lambs with essential oils and calcium malate
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a mixture of essential oils (EO), calcium malate (CM), or their combination (EO + CM) on the physico-chemical characteristics of lamb meat. A total of 36, two-month-old, 20 ±…
Potential feeding value, feed quality, microbial protein production, and anti-methanogenic properties of tree leaves admixed with Italian ryegrass at different ratios using in vitro gas production
The purpose of this study was to use the in vitro gas production (IVGP) method to assess the relative feeding value, feed quality, and anti-methanogenic capabilities of tree leaves added to Italian ryegrass forage at various proportions. With the addition…
Quality of sorghum hybrid silages at different storage times
The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional changes in silages of four sorghum hybrids at different storage times. The design was a completely randomized in a 4 × 9 arrangement of plots with four replications. The four…
The effect of crossbreeding on slaughter and carcass characteristics and meat quality in Leghorn hens
This study reports slaughter and carcass characteristics and meat quality as a result of crossing Leghorn chickens and five different genotypes. The experiment was carried out in the Prof. Dr. Hümeyra Özgen Research and Application Farm in Selcuk University. The…
Milk yield, udder, and growth traits of Hair goats and their crossbreeds managed under extensive conditions
This study was carried out to compare some production traits of Alpine × Hair-crossbred, Saanen × Hair-crossbred, and Hair goats in rural conditions. In the first year of the study, a total of 45 animals were used to determine the…
Bacteriolytic activity of ruminal protozoa is affected by rate and type of common essential oils: Effect of thyme oil
Over the past two decades, research into the effects of essential oils (EOs) on rumen microorganisms as an alternative to antibiotics has intensified. Yet, there are few investigations on rumen protozoa. To evaluate if EOs have antiprotozoal efficacy against rumen…
Genetic and phenotypic trends for female fertility traits derived from service records of South African Holstein cattle
The objective of this study was to estimate breeding values (EBV) and genetic and phenotypic trends for female fertility traits derived from artificial insemination (AI) records. Data were collected from automated milk recording systems: 64464 records from 18 South African…
Effects of indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae on intake, growth, gut histology, and serum biomarkers in pre-weaned Lohi lambs
The purpose of this study was to determine the comparative efficacy of locally-produced yeast to commercial yeast on growth performance, serum biomarkers, and gut histology. Thirty pre-weaned male Lohi lambs were divided into; 1) C (Control; starter diet with no…
Comparison between zilpaterol hydrochloride and R-salbutamol fed during the finishing period on the growth and carcass characteristics of feedlot cattle
This study aimed to compare the effects of feeding 60 mg of the β-adrenergic agonist, zilpaterol HCl (Zilmax®), per steer per day versus feeding 120 mg of the β-adrenergic agonist, R-salbutamol (Salbutamate®10%), per steer per day for the last 30…
Diagnosis and prognosis of bovine mastitis using ultrasonography and the associated risk factors on dairy farms
The study aimed to test whether the ultrasonographic morphometry and characteristic traits of udders and teats could be used to identify clinical mastitis in forty-eight adult Holstein–Friesian dairy cows. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were also declared with the help…
Effects of dietary supplementation with yeast chromium or dihydropyridine on milk composition and serum biochemical indices of periparturient dairy cows under heat stress
The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with chromium yeast (Cr-yeast) and dihydropyridine (DHP) on nutrient utilization, milk composition, and antioxidative status of prepartum dairy cows under heat stress. Twenty-four perinatal dairy cows…
Replacement of soybean with canola improves short-term milk yield and nitrogen-use efficiency in high-producing, early-lactation Holstein cows
It has been demonstrated that canola meal (CM) is used more efficiently than soybean meal (SBM) by lactating dairy cows. This study was conducted to determine the effects of replacing SBM with CM on production performance, blood metabolites, and ruminal…
Effects of rumen-protected, long chain fatty acid, calcium salt supplementation on total lipid, fatty acids, and related gene expression in Korean cattle
Rumen-protected linoleic acid-enriched calcium salts (LAE-Ca salts) and oleic acid-enriched calcium salts (OAE-Ca salts) were examined for their effects on total lipids, fatty acids, and lipid metabolism gene expression in Korean steers. A total of 30 animals with a mean…
Effects of Brachiaria decumbens leaf meal supplementation on the health, blood biomarkers, and relative telomere length of broiler chickens raised in tropical environments
The main goal of this investigation was to determine the effects of Brachiaria decumbens leaf meal on the health performance, blood biomarkers, and relative telomere length of broiler chickens raised in tropical conditions. A total of 300, day-old, male, Ross…
Effect of liquid-fermented potato hash, with or without exogenous enzymes, on carcass characteristics of growing pigs
The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of liquid- fermented potato hash with or without exogenous enzyme on fermentation characteristics and carcass characteristics of pigs. Forty-two crossbred, male pigs (Large White ×…
Extrusion of canola oilcake meal and sweet lupins on the production performance of Meatmaster lambs under feedlot conditions
Increasing commodity prices of plant proteins pressure farmers to start exploring alternative methods to optimize utilization of these dietary sources; heat treatment (extrusion) is tested in this study. Canola oilcake meal and sweet lupins were extruded to attempt to increase…
The relationship between live weight and body measurements of Chios lambs at different periods
The data of 60 male Chios lambs raised in western Turkey on a farm registered with the Sheep and Goat Breeders' Association were used. Two datasets were generated to determine the correlations between weaning (90 d) and six-month traits in…
The effects of thymoquinone and curcumin on the thyroid in rats with subacute fluoride poisoning
The purpose of this study was to determine the protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ), curcumin (CUR), and a TQ+CUR combination on thyroid hormones and histopathology in an experimentally-induced, subacute, sodium fluoride (NaF) toxicity rat model. Control, sham, and test groups…
Genomic markers associated with antibody response to Newcastle disease virus of Sasso chickens raised in Ethiopia
Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is one of the highly contagious avian pathogens that threatens poultry producers in endemic zones due to its epidemic potential. Selection for antibody (Ab) response can effectively improve disease resistance in chickens. However, the molecular basis…
