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
Rumen fungal degradation of Digitaria pentzii
The intake of Digitaria pentzii grown with sulphur fertilizer (0,14%; + S) was almost 50% higher than that of unfertilized forage (0,08%; - S). Results showed no differences in plant anatomy or in rumen bacterial populations in sheep fed +…
Colorimetric determination of in vitro feed protein degradation
A colorimetric method for determining protein degradation using a diazonium chromophore was compared with the Dacron bag technique. Diazotized fish meal, maize gluten meal and soya-bean were incubated with strained rumen fluid and a suitable growth medium. Only 49% and…
Estimation of protein degradation in rumen by three methods
The rumen degradability of protein in diets containing maize straw, fish meal and 0, 30 and 60% maize grain was estimated in three ways: (i) from the difference between the total non-ammonia N and microbial N entering the duodenum over…
Adaptation effects of ionophores on rumen fermentation
The effect of monensin on the in vitro degradation of cellulose was investigated using ruminal fluid obtained from sheep adapted and unadapted to the antibiotic. In vivo ruminal adaptation to monensin was also examined over a six-week treatment period. Results…
Effect of diet and physiological state on recycling of urea in Merino ewes
The recycling of urea to the rumen was studied in Merino ewes during different physiological states using radioactive tracers. The results showed that although the proportion of urea recycled differed, similar amounts were recycled in dry and pregnant sheep over…
A comparison of lipolysis and lipogenesis in sheep and rats
Hormone sensitive lipase is thought to be the rate-limiting enzyme of lipolysis; phosphatidate phosphohydrolase that of lipogenesis. Both these enzyme systems were studied in vitro with the addition of epinephrine. The results show that: (a) hormone sensitive lipase is four…
Homeorhetic hormones, metabolites and accelerated growth
Six newly weaned karakul ewes, three with fat tails and three without tails, were used to investigate the metabolic and hormonal changes during accelerated growth. Two lambs acted as controls, while the remaining four were Subjected to a maintenance diet…
Integration of metabolism and digestion in the hyrax
Metabolic adaptations and digestive ability were integrated to explain the ecological efficiency of the hyrax (Procavia capensis). Metabolic rate was shown to decrease linearly with a drop in ambient temperature, but at a lower rate than an animal of equivalent…
Effects of energy concentration and feeding level on growth and efficiency of beef steers
The growth and efficiency of feed utilization of Simmentaler steers were studied on three dietary energy concentrations and three feeding levels. Energy concentration was varied through concentrate : roughage ratios, 80:20, 50:50 and 20:80, respectively, while the feeding levels were…
Efficiency of fed conversion during food restriction and realimentation
Sixty Merino lambs weighing 25 kg were randomly allotted to six different feeding levels as follows: ad libitum, 80%, 71%, 65%, 55% and 45% ad libitum. Individual intakes and live masses were determined weekly. From 25 - 33 kg live…
Protein nutrition of underfed beef cows suckling two calves
Protein nutrition of underfed beef cows suckling two calves was studied during early lactation using Hereford x British Friesian cows. Feeding the cows with white fish-meal in each of the three years produced calves with a high growth rate (0,97…
Die invloed van monensin op doeltreffendheid van voeromset, karkaseienskappe en die voorkoms van koksidiose by lammers
The effect of monensin on the efficiency of feed conversion, carcass traits and the occurrence of coccidiosis in lambs. Twenty crossbred lambs, approximately one-month old, were allotted to two treatments according to body mass and sex. One group received monensin…
Die invloed van monensin op karkas- en woleienskappe van Merinolammers
The effect of monensin on carcass and wool traits of Merino lambs. Forty Merino lambs were used to determine the effect of monensin (20 mg/day) on carcass and wool traits when fed at two energy levels. Monensin improved feed efficiency…
Byvoeding op somerveld vir die afronding van ou ooie
Supplementation on summer veld for the finishing of old ewes. Six groups of old Dohne merino-type ewes in poor condition were used in a trial at the ARI, Potchefstroom and were allotted to one of the following treatments: (i) Slaughtered…
‘n Vergelyking tussen mielie- en sorghumgraan as bronne van kragvoer in afrondingsdiete vir vleisbeeste
A comparison between maize and grain sorghum as a concentrate source in fattening diets for beef cattle. The influence of replacing 0%, 50% and 100% of the maize meal (Pioneer 432) with bird resistant (SSK52) and non-bird resistant (NK 283)…
‘n Vergelyking tussen mielie- en sorghumgraan as bronne van kragvoer in afrondingsdiete vir vleisbeeste
A comparison between maize and grain sorghum as a concentrate source in fattening diets for beef cattle. The influence of replacing 0%, 50% and 100% of the maize meal (Pioneer 432) with bird resistant (SSK52) and non-bird resistant (NK 283)…
The effect of feeding clinoptilolite (zeolite) to laying hens
One hundred and twenty 4-month·old, single-combed, brown Hy-Line pullets were fed two isocaloric diets containing 16 or 13,5% protein with and without 5% clinoptilolite in four treatments with thirty hens per replicate. Sterile river sand was used as a filler…
‘n Evaluasie van sojabone as byvoeding vir die oorwintering van wolskape op suurgrasveld
An evaluation of soy-beans as a supplement for the wintering of woolled sheep on sour veld. The value of soy-beans as a supplement for woolled sheep on winter veld was investigated in the south-eastern Transvaal Highveld. Döhne merino ewes were…
‘n Evaluasie van sojabone as byvoeding vir die oorwintering van wolskape op suurgrasveld
An evaluation of soy-beans as a supplement for the wintering of woolled sheep on sour veld. The value of soy-beans as a supplement for woolled sheep on winter veld was investigated in the south-eastern Transvaal Highveld. Döhne merino ewes were…
The nutritive value of natural pasture in the Gordonia district
Two veld types of the Gordonia district, namely Orange River broken veld and Kalahari sand veld, were evaluated in terms of chemical composition, feed intake and body mass change of grazing sheep. Adult wethers and non-reproducing ewes equipped with oesophageal…
