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
The reproductive responses of two breeds of beef cows and the performance of their progeny in two contrasting environments
The experiment was carried out over three seasons during which a total of 889 Afrikaner and 805 Simmentaler 'cow years' were studied. Nucleus breeding herds of each of these breeds were maintained at stations in the Highland Sourveld and the…
Slageienskappe van Afrino x Merino-kruisings (Kort mededeling)
Four groups of 50 Merino ewes were mated to four Ronderib Afrikaner (RA), four Merino (M), four SA Mutton Merino (SAVM) and four Afrino (A) rams during the autumn of 1983 and 1984. During 1983 a further 50 Merino ewes…
Relationships between growth parameters and scrotal circumference in Simmentaler bulls (Short communication)
Data from 129 young Simmentaler bulls taken at the end of the Phase C growth tests, were used to study the relationship of mass and growth parameters on testes size. Scrotal circumference was positively correlated with body mass and average…
Lambing results obtained with imported Ile de France ram semen (Short communication)
Two batches of Ile de France ram semen frozen in 0,5 ml straws were imported from France during April 1979 and September 1981. Ewes were synchronized and artificial insemination was carried out either 54,5 h (fixed time single insemination) after…
Standardizing initial cooling of sheep semen before freezing (Short communication)
A practical and repeatable method for the cooling, during the processing phase, of sheep semen, with the aim of minimizing inter-experiment variation is described. The superior repeatability of the method can be ascribed to the fact that the cooling rate…
Predictability of steer performance in the feedlot (Short communication)
It will be to the benefit of the feedlot industry if poor performing feeder cattle can be identified at an early stage during fattening and eliminated. This would require a close relationship between early performance and overall performance in the…
Die invloed van voedingspeil op die reaksie van kortgeskeerde Angora en Boerbokke tydens blootstelling aan koue (Kort mededelin
The influence of feeding level on the response of shorn Angora and Boer goats to cold exposure: The effect of nutritional level of shorn Angora and Boer goats on heat production, rectal and skin temperature as well…
The effect of concentrate in meal- or pellet form on milk, protein and butterfat production of Friesian cows receiving Kikuyu gr
The effect of the physical form (meal or pellets) of a dairy concentrate, with kikuyu grazing and oat silage as roughage sources, on milk, protein and butterfat production of Friesian cows was investigated. Twelve comparable Friesian cows from the same…
Die reproduksievermoë van Dohnemerino-ooie in’n versnelde teelstelsel
The reproductive potential of Dohne Merino ewes in an accelerated breeding system. Between 1967 and 1975 Dohne Merino ewes were kept on pastures and subjected to an accelerated breeding system at 8-month intervals. Both management and feeding programmes were improved…
Influence of age on reproductive performance of the Improved Boer goat doe
The reproductive potential of Dohne Merino ewes in an accelerated breeding system. Between 1967 and 1975 Dohne Merino ewes were kept on pastures and subjected to an accelerated breeding system at 8-month intervals. Both management and feeding programmes were improved…
The relationship between standards of excellence for breed characteristics in Afrikaner cows and the pre-weaning performance of
The effect of the standard of excellence for breed characteristics in Afrikaner cows on the pre-weaning performance of their calves was investigated. According to an analysis of variance, the standard of excellence for the head and horns had a statistically…
Pre-weaning growth and feed intake of diary calves receiving different combinations of soybean flour, whey powder and colostrums
Five groups of seven Friesian bull calves received different combinations of soybean flour (S), whey powder (W), and preserved colostrum (C). On a dry matter basis, the experimental diets consisted of 20% S, 60% W, and 20% C (Treatment 1);…
A comparison between sodium hydroxide treated and untreated bird-proof sorghum in pig growth diets
A digestion and a growth trial was conducted, (i) to determine the effect of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment of bird-proof sorghum (BPS) on nitrogen and energy digestibility, and (ii) to compare treated with untreated BPS as grain components in a…
Nitrogen retention of Angora goats receiving alkali-ionophore-treated whole maize containing various levels of urea (Short commu
A nitrogen-balance study was carried out to investigate the utilization of various levels of urea (0 - 4%) absorbed by alkali-ionophore-treated whole maize when fed to Angora goats receiving a protein-deficient roughage diet. Nitrogen retention was increased significantly (P<0,05) only…
A simple method of repetitive blood sampling of cattle (Short communication)
A simple practical technique is described for the collection of blood samples from at least six cattle concurrently at short time intervals for up to 48 h. The technique is advantageous in that it is carried out under minimum stress…
Failure to induce ovulation by short-term calf removal in lactating beef cows on dry-lot (Short communication)
Beef heifers were fed during late pregnancy to produce cows in poor, average, and good condition at calving late in winter. The animals were fed on dry-lot for the major part of the experiment. At 50 days of age half…
Libido evaluation of virgin beef bulls (Short communication)
Fifty-four beef bulls with an average age of 21 months and representing nine breeds were evaluated for libido using two types of tests. The serving capacity (SC) test was repeated five times on groups of bulls and was followed by…
Plasmaprogesteroon- en LH-profiele in melkrasverse na estrussinchronisasie met PGF2α en GnVH (Kort mededeling)
Plasma progesterone and LH profiles in dairy heifers following oestrus synchronization with PGF2α and GnRH. Oestrus synchronization was accomplished in six Friesland heifers by two injections of PGF2α, 11 days apart. During the ensuing synchronized oestrus, three of the six…
The use of ammoniated maize residue to replace maize meal in fattening diets for lambs
Milled (13 mm screen) maize residue containing 35% moisture was treated with 4% anhydrous ammonia on roughage dry matter in a stack for 50 days. Performance of lambs was measured in a 2 x 5 factorial experiment with two treatments…
Phosphorus supplementation of Karakul sheep grazing natural pasture
The phosphorus (P) status of adult Karakul ewes grazing natural pasture was determined by measuring the P content of blood, saliva, faecal, and bone samples. The ewes were divided into four groups of 20 ewes each, viz. Ewes supplemented with…
