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
Alternative models for genetic evaluation of feed intake by Afrikaner cattle
The objectives of this study were to evaluate statistical models of potential utility for genetic evaluation of feed intake and to estimate the (co)variance components and genetic parameters that would be necessary for their use in a national cattle evaluation…
Effects of selenium and flaxseed on selenium content and antioxidant properties of eggs and immune response in hens
This study aimed to evaluate effects of supplementing the diets of laying hens with different sources of Se and different levels of flaxseed on egg Se concentration, yolk antioxidant properties and immune response. In a completely randomized design, 384 Hy-Line…
Effects of dietary extruded linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on performance and meat quality in Podolian young bulls
This study compared effects of a diet containing 3% extruded linseed (EL) (Linum usitatissimum L.) with a control diet (C) on growth, carcass traits, and meat quality in young Podolian bulls. After 208 days on feed, the bulls were slaughtered…
Carcass and meat quality of Karacabey Merino and Kivircik lambs under an intensive finishing system
Carcass and meat quality traits of male and female lambs are important considerations in planning gender-based production and developing a marketing strategy for the product. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of sex on carcass…
Effects of legume seeds and processing treatment on growth, carcass traits and blood constituents of fattening lambs
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of faba bean, white lupin and pea seed when fed as protein supplements on growth performance, carcass characteristics and haematological characteristics of growing lambs. Forty-eight Gentile di Puglia male lambs, weaned at 38…
Effect of bypass fat on growth and body condition score of male Beetal goats during summer
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of feeding rumen bypass fat on the growth of male Beetal goats. Twenty-seven male kids with an average bodyweight of 34 ± 1.8 kg (mean ± SD) and aged…
Growth, carcass and meat quality traits of two South African meat rabbit breeds
Rabbits could contribute to meat production in South Africa. However, little research has been done on rabbit farming in the country, including on the performance of locally available meat breeds. This study examined the meat production of the New Zealand…
Effects of dietary inclusion of Opuntia ficus-indica on the glycemia and productive performance in lactating sows
Sows with increased blood glucose during late gestation may have decreased feed intake in lactation. Supplying dietary fibre to the sow reportedly modulates blood glucose and improves feed intake. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of…
Effects of clove powder supplementation on performance, blood biochemistry, and immune responses in broiler chickens
The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) supplementation levels on performance, blood parameters, and immune response of broilers. A total of 336 one-day-old broilers were assigned to one of eight treatments: 1% to…
Identification of genomic regions that contribute to wet carcass syndrome in sheep
Wet carcass syndrome (WCS), which is observed predominantly in sheep, affects carcass quality negatively. After slaughter the carcass appears to be ‘wet’ with a subcutaneous accumulation of watery fluid. Not all animals in a contemporary group are afflicted, and experimental…
Alchemilla vulgaris effects on egg production and quality expressed by heat-stressed quail during the late laying period
Potential for mitigating effects of heat stress through dietary Alchemilla vulgaris (AV) supplementation during the late laying period of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were investigated. A 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of environmental temperature (ET) regimes and levels of…
Natural feed additives for broiler chickens
The study aims to evaluate the effects of ginger root powder and apple cider vinegar as natural feed additives on growth performance, meat quality, antimicrobial activity, and blood parameters of broiler chicken. A total of 450 one-day-old unsexed broiler chicks…
The in vitro investigation of lycopene effects on post-thawed ram sperm
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of lycopene on quality parameters of cryopreserved ram semen. Semen samples were collected from three Santa Inês rams to form a seminal pool (n = 8). Aliquots from each pool were diluted…
Effect of zinc sources on milk yield, milk composition and plasma concentration of metabolites in dairy cows
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different sources of zinc (Zn) on feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, and blood metabolites. Twenty-four dairy cows were randomly allocated to one of four treatments in a randomized complete block…
Determining the effects of black cumin seed oil on performance and meat fatty acid profile of broiler chickens
This study was designed to investigate the effects of adding black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seed (BCS) oil to diets for broiler chickens on their performance and the meat fatty acid profile of the meat. Broiler chicks were assigned to…
Effect of dietary protein level on growth and body condition score of male Beetal goats during summer
The effects of feeding various dietary protein levels on the fattening of male Beetal goats were investigated. Twenty-seven bucks (initial bodyweight 35 ± 0.5 kg) between 12 and 16 months old were randomly assigned to one of three treatments The…
Effects of electrical stimulation and age at slaughter on carcass and meat quality of two Sudanese Baggara beef types
This study aimed to evaluate the influences of electrical stimulation (ES), age at slaughter, and breed type on muscle pH, the decline in carcass temperature, and meat quality attributes of Sudanese indigenous Baggara cattle. Eighty Baggara bulls, representative of Nyalawi…
Thyme (Thymbra spicata L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and vitamin E supplementation of laying hens
This study was conducted to determine the effects on performance, egg quality parameters and some serum profiles of vitamin E, thyme and rosemary extracts that were added to laying hen feeds. One hundred twelve 48-week-old Bovans-genotype white laying hens were…
Safflower seeds in the diet of feedlot lambs improved fat carcass, colour, and fatty acid profile of the meat
The aim of this study was to evaluate intake, performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of lambs fed finishing diets containing 0%, 7.5% and 15% safflower seeds (Carthamus tinctorius) as a replacement for corn and soybean meal. Thirty-six male lambs…
Substitution of Leucaena hay for oil seed cake meal in total mixed rations for goats
This study investigated the effects of incorporating different protein sources (oil seed cakes versus Leucaena leucocephala hay) in a total mixed ration (TMR) on intake, digestibility, growth and carcass meat quality of Saanen goats. Sixteen Saanen male goats were allocated…
