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 (2025): 0.8 (Q4 of subject category)
Scimago (SJR) (2025): 0.231 (Q3)
Scopus CiteScore (2025): 1.4
Response of SA Mutton Merino ewes and their lambs to supplementation with enriched oat, barley or triticale grain on wheat stubb
Oat, barley or triticale grain, enriched by addition of nitrogen, minerals, and an ionophore, was fed for 90 days as supplement at a level of 500 g per head per day to SA Mutton Merino ewes during late pregnancy and…
Effek van voeding en aktiewe immunisering teen androsteendioon op die reproduksie van SA Vleismerino ooie
Effect of nutrition and active immunization against androstenedione on reproduction of SA Mutton Merino ewes: Two groups of SA Mutton Merino ewes, consisting of forty ewes each, were used to determine the effect of nutritional level and immunization against…
National genetic improvement programmes in the United States beef industry (Review)
There are at least 15 breeds of beef cattle in the United States which have or are in the process of developing national genetic evaluation programmes. These 15 breeds represent over 600000 new registrations each year. The commercial cattle industry…
Supplementary feeding in ruminants – A physiological approach (Review)
An alternative strategy for supplementing ruminants fed low-quality roughages is discussed. In this strategy, the quantity and quality of supplement are adjusted to constrain mass-loss to a limit compatible with the productive function of the animal. The limits to mass-loss…
Effect of formalin preservation on the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition and protein properties of maize silage
The effect of maturity stage, expressed in terms of moisture content (54,5 ± 3,2%; 66,0 ± 5,2%; and 76,3 ± 1,8%), and the effect of different rates of formalin treatment (0; 2,57 ± 0,64; 5,10 ± 0,89; and 7,59 ±…
Establishment of a ruminal protein degradation data base for dairy cattle using the in situ polyester bag technique. 2. Energy
The extent of ruminal protein degradation of 11 energy sources was determined in the rumen of cannulated lactating dairy cows, and was calculated at three different fractional outflow rates, using the in situ polyester bag technique. The extent of ruminal…
Establishment of a ruminal protein degradation data base for dairy cattle using the in situ polyester bag technique. 3. Roughag
The extent of ruminal protein degradation of 13 roughages was determined in the rumen of cannulated lactating dairy cows, and was calculated at three different fractional outflow rates using the in situ polyester bag technique. Values ranged from 25,5% for…
Scanning electron microscopy of wool fibre degradation by Streptomyces bacteria
Various strains of Streptomyces bacteria were found to be capable of degrading Merino wool when incubated together in a basal salts medium for extended periods. There was a decrease in filterable solids in the cultures as a result of bacterial…
Vrygossipolinhoud van die saad van Suid-Afrikaanse katoenkultivars wat in verskillende omgewings verbou word (Kort mededeling)
Free-gossypol content of the seed of South African cotton cultivars cultivated in different regions. Representative seed samples of the 10 most important cotton cultivars, each cultivated in the 10 most important production localities in the Republic of South Africa, were…
Plasma copper, zinc and blood selenium concentrations of sheep, goats and cattle (Short communication)
Concentrations of plasma copper, plasma zinc and blood selenium in sheep, goats and cattle, grazing together on natural pastures, were determined at two- to three-monthly intervals over a two-year period. Cattle had the lowest plasma copper concentrations, but no definite…
Relationship between nitrogen and other chemical components in kikuyu grass from long-established pastures (Short communication)
The relationship between nitrogen and other components in kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) from long-established pastures was investigated. Leaf material, when compared to stem tissue, was higher in total organic nitrogen and protein content, but lower in non-protein organic nitrogen, nitrate,…
A note on the dependence of juvenile marron, Cherax tenuimanus (Smith) (Decapoda: Parastacidae), on filter feeding (Short commun
Problem areas in the production of Cherax tenuimanus, a freshwater crayfish (the 'marron') introduced to South Africa from Australia , are outlined. The high juvenile mortality rate problem is discussed. With reference to the morphology of the mouthparts of the…
Progesterone profiles of postpartum dairy cows as an aid to diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders
Milk progesterone levels were measured on a daily basis for 44 dairy cows from calving to conception in order to use the progesterone profiles in diagnosing and treating reproductive disorders related to the oestrous cycle. Some of the profiles could…
Live mass, carcass and wool growth responses to supplementation of a roughage diet with sources of protein and energy in South A
The effect of supplementing a diet of wheat straw plus urea with either 0, 100 or 200 g/d cottonseed oilcake meal .(CSM) in combination with either 0, 100 or 200 g/d whole maize on wool and carcass growth of SA…
An investigation into the consequences of selection for growth, size and efficiency
The effect of selecting for growth, size and efficiency on fitness (fertility and survival rate) and body composition was investigated by surveying a number of selection experiments which have appeared in Animal Breeding Abstracts since 1938. In the case of…
Production parameters for Döhne Merino sheep under an accelerate, intensive lambing system
Data of lambing records from 1984 to 1989, which comprised 914 ewe lambing years and 1522 lambing opportunities, were used to investigate overall productive performance of Dohne Merino ewes under an accelerated lambing system. Ewes were exposed to three fixed…
Meat studies of indigenous Southern African cattle. I. Growth performance and carcass characteristics of Afrikaner, Nguni and P
Afrikaner, Nguni and Pedi weaner bulls (15 per breed) were fed individually from initial masses of 168, 159 and 160 kg to predetermined target masses of 290, 340 and 390 kg respectively. Feed and water were freely available. The diet…
Meat studies of indigenous Southern African cattle. II. Textural evaluation of ribcut samples from carcasses of Afrikaner, Ngun
Textural evaluations were conducted on the longissimus thoracis muscles from carcasses of young Afrikaner, Nguni and Pedi bulls fed intensively and slaughtered at 160, 290, 340 and 390 kg. Carcasses were stimulated electrically (500 V, 12,5 Hz) for 2 min,…
Puberty and the induction of puberty in female boer goat kids
Female Boer goat kids were randomly allocated (post weaning) to 2 X 3 factorial design experiments for two observation periods, to monitor puberty and the induction thereof. Treatments for each period (December and April weaning seasons respectively) included three male…
Invloed van voedingstremming gedurende die soogfase op groei en woleienskappe by jong Merinoskape
Effect of feed restriction in the early life of young Merino sheep on growth performance and wool characteristics. The effect of feed restriction on the relative performance of young Merino sheep was investigated. Lambs were separated from their mothers between…
