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
Economic weights for Holstein Friesian traits in South Africa
In this study economic weights for production and functional traits of the HolsteinFriesians in South Africa were calculated using a simulation model. The production traits were milk, butterfat, protein and lactose yield and the functional traits included feed efficiency, survival…
Genetic parameter estimates in the South African Jersey breed
Data obtained from the INTERGIS for Jersey breeders participating in the NationalDairy Cattle Performance and Progeny Testing Scheme were analysed. The registered and grade records commenced in test year 1977 through 1992 (incomplete) and consisting of lactations between 240 and…
Allozyme variation in two populations of Hydrocynus vittatus (Pisces, Characidae)
The isozymes described in this study provide the first account of the amount, patternand distribution of genetic variation within this genus. Twenty-five enzyme coding loci in two populations of H. vittafus, from Namibia and South Africa, were analysed by horizontal…
The comparative performance of primiparous Holstein Friesland and Jersey cows on complete diets during summer in a temperate cli
The production performance of primiparous Holstein Friesland and Jersey cows wascompared under local conditions during summer. A complete diet providing 15% crude protein (CP), 13% crude fiber (CF) and 10.8 MJ ME/kg dry matter (DM) was fed twice daily on…
Quantifying herd-year-season x sire interaction in Bonsmara cattle
In an effort to quantify herd-year-season x sire interaction in Bonsmara cattle, four differentmodels were fitted to the data used in Neser et a/. (1996). The herds were also divided into two (bushveld and sour grassveld) regions in order to…
Feed selection and water intake of indigenous goat wethers under stall-feeding conditions
Six indigenous (Pedi) goat wethers (18 months old) with an average body mass of25.1 kg were fed five diets, consisting of a mixture of lucerne (Medicago sativa) and teff (Eragrostis teff) in a cafeteria style arrangement (Trial 1). The diets…
An investigation into possible genotype x environment interactions for weaning weight in South African Mutton Merino sheep
Weaning weight records available for the South African Mutton Merino breed wereutilised to investigate the possibility of a genotype by environment interaction in the breed. A direct heritability estimate of 0.308 ± 0.022 was obtained. Including flock-year-season x sire interaction…
Environmental effects, heritability estimates and genetic trends in a Western Cape Dohne Merino nucleus flock
Data from 1390 to 1902 Dohne Merino progeny of a nucleus flock were used toevaluate environmental influences, and to obtain heritability estimates for live weight at birth, weaning and yearling age and for yearling fleece traits. Estimated breeding values for…
Occurrence of Salmonella on meat and products in an ostrich abattoir as determined with a DNA probe
This study was conducted to determine the status of Salmonella during the processing of ostriches to ostrich meat and products. When a total of 1429 samples, collected from fillet, liver, gizzards, blood meal, skins, heart, faeces, large and small intestines,…
Chemical and essential amino acid composition of South African
The essential amino acid composition of carcasses from South African Mutton Merino ram lambs fed a standard diet was investigated. Twenty lambs were randomly allocated to four pre-assigned average slaughter weights (30, 35, 40 and 45 kg live weight). The…
The partial digestion and ruminal volatile fatty acid concentrations in wethers fed high- and low-fibre diets
Twenty Dohne merino wethers with an average mass of 52 kg, were used to study the effect of varying the fibre content of the diet on differences in ruminal concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and the partial digestion of…
Halothane genotype and pork production. 1 Growth, carcass and meat quality characteristics
The effect of the halothane gene on certain growth and meat quality characteristics were investigated by comparing the three known halothane genotypes (NN, Nn, nn), fifty nine Landrace x Large White pigs (gilts = 25, castrates = 34; NN =…
Halothane genotype and pork production. 2 Processed pork products
The effect of the halothane gene on processed pork characteristics was investigated using the meat from 59 Landrace x Large White pigs of known halothane genotype (NN = 31, Nn = 17, nn = 11). The backs and hams were…
A close look at rare African breed – the Kuri cattle of Lake Chad Basin: origin, distribution, production and adaptive charact
The Kuri is a rare, little known breed of cattle of the Hamitic Longhorn (Bos Taurus longifrons) type which is found on the islands and shores of Lake Chad Basin in the area covering the common borders of Cameroon, Chad,…
The wintering of young ewes on Digitaria eriantha Stued, pasture in the North West Province
The object of this study was to determine the influence of different stocking rates (viz. 2, 4, 6 & 8 sheep /ha for a six-month period) on the performance of Dohne merino ewes grazing Digitaria eriantha (Smuts finger grass) pasture…
The use of whole-grain mixtures in diets of growing-finishing pigs
Small-scale farmers in the rural areas of South Africa do not have milling and mixing facilities at their disposal. A study was conducted to quantify the production as well as the energy and nitrogen metabolism of pigs when fed a…
The influence of stocking rate, range condition and rainfall on seasonal beef production patterns in the semi-arid savanna of Kw
Grazing trials were established at two sites in the semi-arid savanna (Lowveld) of KwaZulu-Natal. The sites differed initially in rage composition. Llanwarne was dominated by Themeda triandra, Panicum maximum and P. coloratum and Dordrecht by Urochloa mosambicensis, Sporobolus nitens and…
Investigation of luteinizing hormone response to GnRH and testes diameter as possible early indicators of adult sexual activity
Testes diameter of 110 Merino ram lambs was measured at 100, 260 and 550 days of age. At 80 days of age the LH response to exogenous GnRH was determined in these rams. During the breeding season at 18 months…
The potential of Digitaria eriantha Steud. As summer pasture crop for growing sheep
The aim of this study was to determine the potential of Smuts finger grass as summer grazing for sheep on two soil types at different stocking rates and fertilization levels. The four seasons during which the trial was executed, were…
