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
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…
Wildlife substitution equivalents based on metabolisable energy for calculating stocking densities on Southern African wildlife ranches
This study aims to bridge the gap between the large stock unit method and the grazer and browser unit methods for estimating the stocking densities of wild herbivore ungulates on wildlife ranches and reserves using both extensive and intensive production…
Effects of in ovo injection of naringin into fertile broiler chicken eggs on hatchability and hatchling weight and length
Naringin is an important flavonoid found in the fruit or peels of fruit from species of the Rutaceae family, such as grapefruit. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of in ovo naringin injection on hatchability, hatchling…
Effects of wood vinegar supplementation on the performance, carcass yield, intestinal histomorphology, and immune status of broiler chickens
This study aimed to determine the effects of the addition of wood vinegar (WV) to drinking water on the production performance, intestinal histomorphology, and immune response of broiler chickens. In total, 432 one-day-old chicks were allocated to six groups (T1–T6),…
The farm-gate methane intensity and blue water footprint of nine diverse beef cattle breeds in South Africa
A simulation study was done to estimate the methane intensity and blue water footprint of a weaner calf production system in South Africa. Nine genotypes, representative of indigenous, British, Zebu, and European breeds, were chosen based on their relative numbers…
Heritability coefficients of growth traits of rainbow trout from a national selection programme
In order to create a selection programme aimed at improving the production characteristics of rainbow trout, broodstocks from eight fish farms in the Republic of Serbia were collected in 2010. The spawning of broodstocks, hatching of eggs, and rearing of…
Assessment of heavy metal contamination in faeces of cattle grazing in wastewater treatment plants in Limpopo Province, South Africa
In Limpopo Province, South Africa, livestock commonly graze freely around wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), raising contamination concerns and prompting the assessment of heavy metal levels in palatable grasses, sludge liquors, and cow faeces. Twenty-one cow faecal samples were collected from…
Evaluation of ground maize grain silage rehydrated with water or whey: A sustainable storage option
The aim of this study was to assess the quality of ground maize grain silage rehydrated with varying proportions of whey, in comparison with silage rehydrated with water, to determine the potential of using whey during silage production as a…
Effects of grapefruit juice supplementation on the performance, egg quality, and blood biochemistry of late-phase laying hens
This study investigated the effects of grapefruit juice supplementation on the performance, egg quality, and blood biochemistry of late-phase laying hens. A total of 144 Babcock White laying hens, aged 62 weeks and weighing 1603.05 ± 14.33 g, were divided…
Nutrient composition of swill fed to peri-urban free-roaming pigs in Gert Sibande, South Africa
Pigs need a balanced diet for optimum physiology. We therefore investigated the nutritional composition of variably sourced swill fed to free-roaming pigs in Gert Sibande District Municipality, South Africa. Fourteen swill samples, originating from households, schools, restaurants, and wholesalers, were…
Addition of neem seeds (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) to fattening pig diets
Neem products are biologically and pharmacologically active and could therefore serve as alternatives to antibiotics in pig feed. This study evaluated the effects of adding ground neem seeds (GNS) to the diets of fattening pigs on growth performance, carcass characteristics,…
Effect of propolis supplementation on haematological and biochemical parameters in lambs
This study evaluated the effects of oral propolis supplementation on haematological and metabolic indicators and coagulation parameters in neonatal lambs. Forty healthy newborn lambs were randomly assigned to either a control group or a treatment group receiving 1.5 mL of…
Growth performance, faecal scores, and metabolic profiles of neonatal Holstein calves with extended transition milk feeding
The performance and health status of dairy calves may benefit from further transition milk feeding during the early postnatal period. However, transition milk obtained from cows during the first three to seven postpartum milkings is usually commingled with bulk tank…
Effects of postpartum energy balance, body condition score, and insemination time on conception rates of Bonsmara cows bred using timed artificial insemination
Fertility management of extensively farmed beef cattle in South Africa is essential to ensure the economic viability of such production systems. However, the success of timed artificial insemination (TAI) programmes varies, affecting cattle farmers' adoption of this reproductive technique. This…
Short communication: Effects of polyethylene glycol treatment on the chemical composition and in vitro dry matter degradability of Searsia lancea leaves
This study investigated the effects of incremental levels of polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatment on the chemical composition and in vitro dry matter degradability (IVDMD) of Searsia lancea leaves. Polyethylene glycol was sprayed onto S. lancea leaves at 0, 5, 10,…
The effects of red and white LED lighting on laying performance in hens over 72 weeks of age
Artificial lighting has enabled improvements in egg production, and different types of light and wavelengths have been tested to achieve better production results in the past. It has been established that red light positively affects the laying performance of hens…
Erratum: Assessing parallel testing to improve detection of bovine tuberculosis at a slaughterhouse in Lahore, Pakistan
The article ‘Assessing parallel testing to improve detection of bovine tuberculosis at a slaughterhouse in Lahore, Pakistan’ (SAJAS volume 54, issue 4, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v54i4.02) was initially published with an error in the second paragraph of page 497. This correction is…
Nutrition of ruminant livestock grazing natural pasture, with special reference to supplementary phosphorus and sodium chloride – a South African perspective
South Africa has a long history of studying specific dietary deficiencies in livestock grazing natural pastures (veld), with these pastures generally regarded as deficient in protein and phosphorus. The pioneering work by Sir Arnold Theiler and co-workers focused on addressing…
How does ewe age affect reproductive performance relative to rainfall conditions?
With climate change and its associated impacts on weather patterns being an inescapable reality, livestock producers will have to explore management and mitigation strategies to maintain production levels under adverse weather conditions. It is well-documented that ewe age affects reproductive…
