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 effect of ecotype and year on the production and reproductive performance of Nguni cows in the Limpopo Province of South Africa
This study investigated the effects of Nguni cattle ecotype and year on the production and reproductive performance of cows in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Production data for 471 calvings (142 Venda, 65 Shangaan, and 264 Pedi ecotype Nguni…
Breeding practices and trait preferences of sheep farmers from two villages in Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Despite the large genetic diversity within South Africa’s sheep population, average productivity on smallholdings remains low. This study therefore aimed to identify the breeding practices and trait preferences of sheep farmers in the Makurung and Lenting villages, Limpopo Province, for…
The effect of a phytogenic-based feed additive on concurrent Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infections in pigs
This study investigated the efficacy of a commercial phytogenic-based premixed feed additive (PFA) in treating combined Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infections in finishing pigs, with tiamulin/lincomycin treatment as the control. Pigs aged 20 weeks were allocated to PFA treatment…
The identification of low-producing hens in egg production systems using objective methods
In commercial egg production, hen productivity declines over time, leading to flock disposal for economic reasons at 72–80 weeks of age. Identifying and removing low-producing hens can enhance economic sustainability by maximising the performance of high-performing hens and conserving feed…
The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs
This study investigated the effects of incremental increases in acid detergent fibre (ADF) content on the nutrient digestibility and performance of South African Mutton Merino wether lambs fed low-fibre finishing diets. Four dietary treatments were formulated with similar nutritional compositions,…
Behaviour of commercial layer hens in enriched cages and floor systems examined using human and video-based observations
There is considerable pressure to eliminate the use of conventional cages in commercial layer hen production systems. However, the assessment of alternative systems that can ensure the hen's ability to perform natural behaviours, while simultaneously enhancing farm productivity and economic…
Erratum to ‘PCV2: The unexpected threat – How fish infection can transform industries and society: A pilot study’
The article ‘PCV2: The unexpected threat - How fish infection can transform industries and society: A pilot study’ (SAJAS volume 54, issue 1, DOI: 10.4314/sajas.v54i1.11) was initially published with an incorrect author list. The correct author list is as follows: D.F…
The effects of monochromatic LED light from one to 14 days of age on the growth, muscle development, and blood parameters of goslings
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of monochromatic light on the growth performance, muscle development, and blood parameters of goslings from one to 14 days of age. A total of 192 male Sichuan White goslings were randomly assigned…
Lamb behaviour during and shortly after tail-docking
Routine husbandry procedures for lambs are increasingly scrutinised for their animal welfare implications. One such procedure is tail-docking, which is commonly performed to prevent breech blowfly strike. Although tail-docking is considered painful for lambs, the precise level of pain remains…
An HPLC-MS/MS method for the quantification of heat stress-related milk metabolites in milk from Holstein-Friesian cross-bred cows in Tanzania
The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination and quantification of three metabolites in raw milk samples: creatinine, citrate, and β-hydroxybutyrate (3-BHB). The effect of the…
Erratum to ‘Effects of rumen undegradable protein source on feed intake and milk yield of Holstein dairy cows’
The article ‘Effects of rumen undegradable protein source on feed intake and milk yield of Holstein dairy cows’ (SAJAS volume 53, issue 5, DOI: 10.4314/sajas.v53i5.15) was initially published with an incorrect author list. The correct author list is as follows:…
Effects of propylene glycol and organic chromium on milk production and blood parameters in early lactation dairy cows
This study assessed the effects of supplementing organic chromium (Cr), alone and in combination with propylene glycol (PG), on milk yield and blood chemistry in early lactation dairy cows. Thirty multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to three treatments: control…
Tannin extract dietary thresholds for preventing unacceptable suppression in intake, digestibility, and growth in sheep and cattle: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis aimed to identify the optimal inclusion and threshold levels for black wattle, quebracho, and chestnut tannin extracts (TE) in sheep and cattle, in terms of their effects on dry matter intake (DMI), digestibility, weight gain, and nitrogen balance…
Phenotypic characterisation of four naked neck chicken ecotypes indigenous to Pakistan
This study characterised four naked neck chicken phenotypes (black, white-and-black, light brown, and dark brown) at 20 weeks of age, based on both qualitative and quantitative traits. A total of 320 birds were evaluated, with 40 males and 40 females…
The effects of supplementing prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) powder on dairy calves’ health and growth performance
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) powder and Lactobacillus supplements on calf growth and faecal pathogen counts. Prickly pear leaves were harvested, sun-dried for 14 days, and oven-dried at 105 °C, before grinding…
Human counting versus artificial intelligence for assessing medullation in mohair fibres
The fleeces of mammals with dense coats, such as the mohair fleeces of Angora goats, usually include medullated fibres. These fibres constitute a problem for the textile industry because of their structural characteristics. Three experiments were conducted in this study,…
Editorial: Bibliometric insights into the South African Journal of Animal Science: Trends and contributions
Articles (1558 in total) published in the South African Journal of Animal Science (SAJAS) were identified in the Scopus, Scielo, and InCites (Web of Science) databases. The Scimago Journal Rank (SJR) indicator for SAJAS in 2022 was 0.33, with a…
Body conformation and weight relationships in Dohne Merino sheep: A comparison of measured and subjective traits
The morphometric and type traits of 269 Dohne Merino ram lambs were measured and/or assessed at four, eight, and 12 months of age. Body conformation scores were also awarded independently by three judges at each age. Estimated phenotypic correlations between…
Predicting body weight in Ross 308 broiler chickens using a data mining algorithm approach
Ross 308 broiler chickens are raised specifically for meat production, as they are fast growing and can be slaughtered at six weeks of age. This study aimed to use multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) and classification and regression tree (CART)…
Use of a continuous disinfection programme in commercial broiler production
The growing threat of antibiotic resistance necessitates the development of novel methods for addressing health management in animal production and reducing dependency on antibiotics. Biosecurity is a term that describes the various measures taken to reduce the introduction or proliferation…
