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
Comparison of different protein sources in enriched grain mixture for fattening lambs
A triticale/oat grain mixture (2: 1) was enriched with either a commercially available formula or a locally composed supplement in addition to different protein sources (urea, urea plus fish-meal, urea plus cottonseed oilcake, urea plus bitter lupins or bitter lupins…
The effect of thermo-ammoniation on the nutritive value of maize residues (Short communication)
Thermo-ammoniated maize residues supplemented with 1% urea (Diet 2) or 4.5% fish-meal (Diet 3) and untreated maize residues supplemented with 2% urea (Diet 1), were compared on an isonitrogenous base. The in vitro dry matter digestibility for Diets I, 2…
Prediction of the chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility of a number of forages by near infrared reflectance
The chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility of a number of forages, namely lucerne (Medicago sativa), Italian rye grass (Lolium multiflorum), triticale (Triticale hexaploide), oats (Avena sativa), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), babala (Penniseturn typhoides), forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolour…
The influence of exercising rams on the lambing performance of a Merino ewe flock (Short communication)
The effect of exercising Merino rams on the lambing performance of 2 227 Merino ewes was investigated. The ewes were divided into three groups of which two were mated to exercised rams and the third to non-exercised rams. No significant…
Biological and economical effects of different supplements given to beef cows on summer veld
One hundred and twenty Simmentaler and 120 Afrikaner cows were randomly divided into four herds of each breed. Supplements were compared in terms of cow and calf performance and costs. Either a rumen-stimulating lick (RSL), which contained approximately 26% crude…
Observations on neonatal progress of Dormer and South African Mutton Merino lambs
Data of Dormer (n = 290) and SA Mutton Merino (n = 306) lambs, born by ewes which were observed continuously during lambing in 1989-1991, formed the basis of this investigation. Progeny of SA Mutton Merino ewes were heavier at…
The effect of stocking rate on the performance of ewes and lambs on Italian ryegrass
Italian ryegrass was evaluated over four seasons at stocking rates (SR) of 20, 24, 28, 32 and 36 ewes with lambs/ha. During each of three seasons, between 19 and 24 ewes per SR were milked for 10 weeks, from three…
Mineral composition of poultry manure in South Africa with reference to the Farm Feed Act (Short communication)
The mineral composition of poultry manure and litter from poultry enterprises throughout South Africa was determined. The manure contained high concentrations of macro and micro minerals. Ash content levels in more than 40% of the Breeder and Pullet litter and…
Preliminary genetic parameters of growth during different growth phases in sheep. (Short communication)
Twenty-four sets of full-sib ram lambs, each born from a different sire, were kept individually in pens and hand-reared from birth up to 50 kg live mass. Feed intake and mass of each lamb were determined every third day. Growth…
Direct and maternal additive and heterotic effects in crossbreeding Hereford, Simmentaler and Afrikaner cattle
Data from purebred and crossbred cattle, consisting of the Hereford (H), Simmentaler (S) Afrikaner (A) breeds, were analysed to estimate breed additive effects, individual heterotic effects, breed maternal and average maternal heterotic effects. The traits studied were birth mass, weaning…
Non-genetic factors influencing early growth traits in the Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud
Records of the Elsenburg stud where the Dormer sheep breed originated in 1941, were analysed from 1941 to 1990 to investigate non-genetic factors contributing to early growth traits. The fixed effects, identified as having a significant (P < 0.01) effect…
Variance component and heritability estimates of early growth traits in the Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud
Records of the Elsenburg stud where the Dormer sheep breed originated in 1941, were analysed from 1941 to 1990 to investigate non-genetic factors contributing to early growth traits. The fixed effects, identified as having a significant (P < 0.01) effect…
Inbreeding in the Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud
Data of the Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud which was kept closed since its inception, were collected over a period of 50 years (1941-1990). These data were analysed to monitor the increase in actual level of inbreeding and to investigate the…
Relationship between early growth traits in Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud
Correlations were estimated from a total of 7740 lamb records, collected from 1943 to 1990, from the progeny of 215 sires of the registered Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud. Phenotypic correlations were generally positive and medium to high except for a…
Genetic and environmental trends of early growth traits in the Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud
Data from the Elsenburg Dormer sheep stud were used to estimate genetic and environmental change in early growth traits from 1943 to 1990. Best linear unbiased predictions (BLUP) of breeding values were obtained by Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) procedures fitting…
An evaluation of the subjective categorization of hair quality pelt traits in Karakul lambs
In an investigation of the subjective categorization of pelt traits in Karakul lambs it was demonstrated that the common practice of treating the categories of a trait as equally spaced intervals is invalid.
Rumen ammonia concentrations, and non-ammonia nitrogen passage to and apparent absorption from the small intestine of sheep inge
Non-ammonia nitrogen (NAN) passage to the small intestine and disappearance of NAN in that organ have been studied in multi-cannulated sheep on pasture or fed indoors. Forages under investigation included a number of subtropical grasses, foggages and hay, temperate grasses,…
Effect of summer climatic conditions on different heat tolerance indicators in primiparous Friesian and Jersey cows
The effect of climatic conditions during summer on different heat tolerance indicators was determined in Friesian and Jersey cows which were kept in open camps with no protection against solar radiation. A complete diet (15.0% CP and 10.8 MJ ME/kg)…
