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
Changes in the beef cattle industry through application of scientific knowledge
Significant changes have occurred in the beef cattle industry in the past few decades. Many of these changes have occurred because cattlemen have applied information provided by animal scientists. Some of these changes are crossbreeding, selection, meeting nutrient requirements of…
The profitability of beef production under semi-extensive conditions
The profitability of semi-extensive beef production is discussed on the basis of information collected over a 4-year period from 23 farmers from northern Natal who participated in the mail-in record system. Throughout the analysis, the performance of the group average…
Improving the professionalism of Wisconsin county Extension faculty through use of forage analyses and computer ration formulati
Use of forage analyses and the three dairy diet formulation programs has assisted Wisconsin dairy farmers to make greater progress toward highly competitive, profitable dairying. Acid· detergent fibre (ADF) has proven very satisfactory in…
Improved small stock production – collaboration between scientist and producer
Small stock production in South Africa is practised under a variety of conditions, each of which demands specific management inputs, disease control programmes, specific types of animals, and economic considerations. Improved small stock production involves close cooperation between the animal…
Genetic progress in the poultry industry
In this article progress attributable to genetic selection in the poultry industry is discussed in three sections: genetic progress in broilers and broiler breeders, in laying hens, and in disease resistance. Selection methods are evaluated and future objectives are suggested…
Education and research in animal and grassland production
In spite of the obvious interdependence of animals and grasslands, both education and research in South Africa have been largely intra- rather than interdisciplinary. There are a number of possible reasons for this. Universities find it difficult to train prospective…
The relationship between amino acid and protein content of yellow maize
A study was undertaken to determine the relationship between the amino acid and crude protein content of maize using samples of yellow maize from the four main maize-producing areas of South Africa . After determining moisture, crude…
The relative nutritive value of Lucerne leaf protein concentrate (LPC) coagulated by means of steam or hot water
Two types of lucerne LPC were prepared by either adding the juice to hot water (85 °C) or by injecting steam until the juice reached a temperature of 85 °C after which the coagulum was freeze-dried. The resulting…
Synchronization of oestrus in the Boer goat doe: Dose effect of prostaglandin in the double injection regime
The administration of different doses (62,5; 125 or 250 μg per injection) of a prostaglandin analogue (cloprostenol) 14 days apart (in the double injection regime), proved that oestrus can be synchronized very efficiently in the Boer…
Live and carcass measurements of steers castrated at three different ages and slaughtered at 2 or 3 years of age
Forty-eight Sussex male calves were allotted at birth to the following three treatments: (i) castrated within 24 h after birth with elastrator rings and (ii) and (iii) castrated at 3 and 6 months using a burdizzo. Bodymass was…
The effect of compensatory growth on feed intake, growth rate and efficiency of feed utilization in sheep
Sixty Merino lambs were randomly allotted to one of six feeding levels. The feeding levels were: ad libitum (control) and 0,82; 0,72; 0,65; 0,55 and 0,45 of ad libitum. Feeding levels were calculated from the average weekly feed intake of…
The effect of compensatory growth on body composition in sheep
Sixty Merino lambs were randomly allotted to one of six feeding levels. The feeding levels were ad libitum (control) and 0,82; 0,72; 0,65; 0,55 and 0,45 of ad libitum. The feeding levels were calculated from the average weekly feed intake…
Influence of different combinations of urea and low ruminal degradable protein sources on performance of high-producing dairy co
Three complete diets with crude protein 16% and energy value 9,4 MJ ME/kg DM were formulated using different combinations of high and low-degradable protein sources. Diet A was formulated with only natural protein sources (55% UDP), diet A1 contained 1,6%…
Evaluering van Suid-Afrikaanse proteïenbronne: Gebruik van kleurbinding as maatstaf van proteïenkwaliteit in vismele
Evaluation of South African protein sources: Use of dye-binding as measure of protein quality in fish-meal South African fish-meals differing in origin, composition and conditions of processing were evaluated for protein content, dye-binding capacity, dye-binding lysine, f1uorodinitrobenzenereactive lysine (FDNB), protein…
The effect of a dietary leucine excess on the immunoresponsiveness and growth of chickens
The effect of a dietary leucine imbalance on chickens was investigated. The two criteria considered were growth and antibody production following immunization with sheep red blood cells. Three groups of chickens were fed diets containing increasing levels of leucine. Group…
Benutting van appelreste in diëte vir lammers en melkkoeie
Utilization of apple residue in diets for lambs and milking cows The effect of replacing 0%, 33%, 66% and 100% of the maize meal with apple residue in a growth diet containing 45% roughage for lambs was investigated…
Effect of fibre and nitrogen content on the digestibility of Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum)
A series of 12 in vivo digestibility trials, using two-tooth Merino wethers were conducted on freshly-cut green kikuyu herbage. Samples of this herbage were analysed by proximate and acid-detergent analysis. A close relationship was found between crude fibre (CF) and…
Die effek van stygende konsentrasies vismeel op die ware lisienbeskikbaarheid by Wit Leghornhane met en sonder sekums
The effect of increasing levels of fish· meal on true lysine availability in intact and caecectomized White Leghorn roosters. Protein-free diets containing increasing levels (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 99%) of normal and heat-damaged fish-meal were force-fed to…
