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.
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Clarivate Journal Impact Factor (2025): 0.8 (Q4 of subject category)
Scimago (SJR) (2025): 0.231 (Q3)
Scopus CiteScore (2025): 1.4
Effect of starch fermentation in the rumen on voluntary intake of roughage and kinetics of digestion
The effect of starch fermentation in the rumen on the kinetics of roughage digestion, was studied using 12 sheep fed three roughages, viz. lucerne hay, maize cob leaves and wheat straw. The amount of starch infused per day was increased…
Verteerbaarheid van katoensaadbevattende diëte en die effek van lanolienbyvoeging daarop by skape
Digestibility or diets containing cottonseed and the effect or supplementary lanolin thereon in sheep. The apparent digestibility of nutrients in four diets (A, B, C and D) containing 0, 10, 15 and 20% whole cottonseed respectively, was determined in sheep…
The use of pigs both intact and with ileo-rectal anastomosis to estimate the apparent and true digestibility of amino acids in u
This experiment was conducted to determine apparent and true amino acid digestibilities of untreated (BPS), heat-treated (HBPS) and thermal-ammoniated (NH3BPS) high-tannin sorghum with pigs both intact and with an ileo-rectal anastomosis (IRA). The mean endogenous protein secretion for the surgically…
Normal and hetero-yellow endosperm grain sorghum as substitute for maize in pig diets
An experiment was conducted to evaluate a hetero-yellow endosperm sorghum cultivar (G766W) in comparison to a low-tannin (GL) sorghum cultivar as well as maize in a growth trial using pigs. The digestible energy (DE) content of the experimental diets as…
Effect of curd suppression in a milk replacer on physiological parameters in calves. I Digestibility of nutrients and body mass-
Two trials were conducted to determine the effect of coagulation suppression of milk and milk replacers on apparent digestibility coefficients and body mass-gain of calves. In Experiment 1, two groups of five Holstein bull calves, two to four days of…
Effect of curd suppression in a mik replacer on physiological parameters in calves. II. Selected blood profiles
Fourteen Holstein calves, two to four days of age, were randomly divided into two groups to determine the effect of abomasal curd suppression on selected blood profiles. Calves received a milk replacer in which casein coagulation either was normal (CM),…
Produksieverskille tussen Merino-ooie uit verskillende streke en tussen hul nageslag soos bepaal by ’n sentrale toetssentrum (Ko
Production differences between Merino ewes from different regions and between their progeny as determined at a central testing centre. The first Merino championships for measured production took place in 1984. A total of 31 breeders each sent 12 ewes which…
Copper and selenium supplementation of ewes grazing on pastures low in copper and selenium: Effect on reproduction and concent s
Influence of copper and selenium supplementation in SA Mutton Merino ewes, kept on pastures with low copper and selenium concentrations, was investigated. Ewes which came into oestrus and conceived during March to April, were found to have concentrations of plasma…
Effect of lupin supplementation during mating on the productive performance of Merino ewes in the Swartland (Short communication
The effect of lupin supplementation during mating on the reproduction of autumn-lambing Merino ewes was studied relative to an unsupplemented control group. A total of 158 ewes were available for lambing in 1985, 229 in 1987 and 185 in 1988…
Effect of caecectomy on true metabolizable energy and lysine availability in roosters (Short communication)
True metabolizable energy, corrected for nitrogen retention (TMEN) and true lysine availability, was determined for maize and sunflower oilcake meal, two samples of each, and in samples of fishmeal, soyabean oilcake meal and sorghum meal using intact and caecectomized roosters…
Aspects of smallstock production in Ciskei
Levels of sheep and goat production, as well as aspects of the distribution of ownership of pigs and poultry, in three livestock-producing areas of Ciskei are discussed. Findings show low levels of production and reproduction and high mortality rates in…
Ureumammonisering van koring-, hawer- en garsstrooi en hawerhooi. 1. Laboratoriumondersoek na die invloed van vogpeil, ureumpeil
The effect of treatment on the chemical composition and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of wheat, oat and barley straw and oat hay at 25 °C was investigated in a 4x3x2x5 factorial experiment. Apart from the four roughages, urea…
Ureumammonisering van koring-, hawer- en garsstrooi en hawerhooi. 2. Benutting deur skape
Urea ammoniation of wheat, oat and barley straw and oat hay. 2. Utilization by sheep. Wheat, oat and barley straw, as well as oat hay were ammoniated, using 55 g urea and 400 g moisture kg·1 roughage for a treatment…
Invloed van langdurige behandeling van koringstrooi met ureum of ’n ureum/bytsoda-kombinasie tydens die baalproses op die voedin
Effect of prolonged treatment of wheat straw with urea or a urea/caustic soda combination during baling on the nutritional value thereof for sheep. A study was undertaken to investigate the treatment of wheat straw with urea or urea plus caustic…
Effects of sodium chloride on sheep. 1. Diet composition, body mass changes and wool production of young Merino wethers grazing
Supplementary salt (NaCI) and crude protein (CP) were provided to young Merino wethers grazing native pasture. Twenty-eight wethers were divided into 7 groups and given the following supplements daily via rumen cannulae: 0, 5 (Control), 15 and 30 g NaCl;…
Effects of sodium chloride on sheep. 2. Voluntary feed intake and changes in certain rumen parameters of young Merino wethers g
While grazing native pasture, seven groups of 4 young Merino wethers received the following supplements daily via rumen cannulae: 0, 5 (Control), 15 and 30 g salt (NaCl); and 5, 15 and 30 g NaCl + 20 g crude protein…
Influence of casein and glucose or starch supplementation in the rumen or abomasums on utilization of Eragrostis curvula hay by
In one experiment the effects of casein in the abomasum was compared to isonitrogenous quantities of casein or urea in the rumen. In another two experiments the effects of casein in the rumen or abomasum were compared to isocaloric quantities…
Verband tussen prestasiemetings en veilingspryse van Veldmerinoramme (Kort mededeling)
Relationship between performance measurements and auction prices of Veld Merino rams. Merino rams for veld ram clubs are received at the age of six months and then raised on natural grazing. At the age of one year, with…
Effect of casein supplementation and hay quality on non-ammonia N flow to the abomasum in sheep (Short communication)
A low quality Eragrostis curvula hay was supplemented with 30 or 80 g casein in the rumen with or without 70 g casein in the abomasum, and a medium quality E. curvula hay with 30 g casein in the rumen…
Recent research into the production potential of indigenous cattle with special reference to the Sanga (Review)
A review based on recent research is presented on the production of Sanga (Nguni) cattle in South and South West Africa . The high calving rate of Sanga cattle (89,6%) compared to an average of 77,4% of four other breeds…
