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
Die generasie-interval van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vleismerino
The average generation interval of 3,53 years in S.A. Mutton Merino stud flocks in l96l/62 is the result of an average ram-age of 3,57 years and an ewe-age of 3,49 years .In 1971/72 the average age of rams and ewes…
Effect of technique of electrical stunning on muscle pH and meat quality characteristics of bacon pigs
Nine Landrace x Large White baconer pigs were stunned in the usual way by means of an electric stunner (control, normal stunning) while 9 other pigs were stunned in an unconventional way by applying an electric current for 45 s…
Carcass composition of the giraffe Giraffa Camelopardalis giraffa
Culled giraffes Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa were dissected into standard cuts as far as possible and their mass was determined. Carcass composition was studied by means of buttock dissections and meat quality by means of muscle fibre diameter measurements. Mean total…
The practical application of scientific principles in Merino sheep breeding
The implications of the traditional breeding structure of Merino sheep are discussed. It is indicated that it is unacceptable that material from stud flocks have a greater genetic merit than animals from commercial flocks. A description of the scientific selection…
The flowpaths taken by ground supplements in the stomachs of sheep
The object of this experiment was to find out whether ground supplements could be conveyed to the abomasa of sheep via the reticular grooves. If ruminal fermentation could be avoided in this way, suitable supplements would be more efficiently utilized…
Growth and laying performance of medium-type pullets subjected to quantitative and qualitative food restriction
The growth rate of medium-type pullets was manipulated by various quantitative and qualitative food restriction treatments in order to ascertain which of these methods produced the most satisfactory economic results. The results were based on food intake during the growing…
The effects of three methods of food restriction on growth and subsequent laying performance
A total of 2 400 medium type pullets was used in an experiment to compare three methods of nutrient restriction from 2 to 20 weeks of age. The treatments consisted of the following: two quantitative food restriction treatments designed to…
Carcass amino acid composition and utilization of dietary amino acids by chickens
In an experiment involving the feeding of different protein sources to one-week old chickens, no statistically significant differences occurred in the amino acid content of the chicken carcasses despite considerable differences in body mass changes as a result of the…
Incorporation of DPW, urea and fish meal with varying molasses levels in cattle feedlot rations
With the increasing shortages and costs of conventional protein-rich feedstuffs such as oilcakes and fish meal, and with the ever increasing cost of yellow maize, it was decided to investigate alternative protein and energy sources for use in cattle feedlot…
The use of South African bred opaque-2 maize in pig growth diets
The purpose of this study was (1) to compare South African bred opaque-2 (or high lysine) maize with normal maize in pig diets that contain an equivalent sub-optimum protein percentage and (2) to determine the protein sparing effect of a…
Changes in plasma progesterone and LH concentrations during the progesterone synchronised oestrus in sheep
The effect of progesterone synchronisation on the plasma progesterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations in sheep were studied. During their normal breeding season 10 Merino ewes were injected with l0 mg progesterone daily for 15 days to synchronise their oestrous…
The effects of feed restriction, oestrogen priming and stage of the oestrous cycle on GN-RH- induced release of LH in ewes
The effect of underfeeding during autumn lactation, oestrogen priming and stage of the oestrous cycle on the release of LH in response to GnRH was studied in Merino ewes. The basal LH level prior to GnRH administration was not influenced…
Genetiese parameters van speeneienskappe by Afrikanerkalwers
The inheritance and interassociation of weaning traits of 1142 Afrikaner calves, the progeny of 27 sires, were studied over a period of 25 years. The estimates of heritability of the weaning traits were as follows: 0,184 ± 0.071 for birth…
