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
Probiotic Bacillus species and Saccharomyces boulardii improve performance, gut histology and immunity in broiler chickens
The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a new multispecies probiotic containing four Bacillus species and Saccharomyces boulardii (Microguard®) with a commercial probiotic (Protexin®) and a commonly used antibiotic in broilers. Six hundred one-day-old male Ross…
Effect of different levels of sunflower meal and multi-enzyme complex on performance, biochemical parameters and antioxidant status of laying hens
This study was designed to evaluate the effects of different sunflower meal (Helianthus annus; SFM) levels and a multi-enzyme complex (Natuzyme P50) on performance, biochemical parameters and antioxidant status of laying hens. A total of 288 Hy-Line W-36 laying hens…
Importance and implications of antibiotic resistance development in livestock and wildlife farming in South Africa: A Review
Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is regarded as one of today’s major global health challenges. The development of ABR in nature is a complex phenomenon with many influencing factors, of which the farming industry is labelled a significant contributor. The transfer of…
Pre- and postpartum effects of starch and fat in dairy cows: A review
This review discusses the effects of starch and fat before and after calving on metabolism, energy balance (EB), milk production, and reproduction in dairy cows. The shift in dairy cows from a pregnant non-lactating state to a non-pregnant lactating state…
Effect of herbal choline and rumen-protected methionine on lamb performance and blood metabolites
Twenty-four lambs (Pelibuey x East Friesian), weighing 22.7 ± 3.2 kg, were fed a basal diet of corn silage, oat hay, alfalfa hay, and concentrate (60% forage and 40% concentrate). Treatments consisted of oral doses of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) (0…
The effect of peanut pod on performance, small intestine pH and ileum bacteria population in broiler chickens
This experiment was designed to assess the hypothesis that feeding broilers with peanut pod as an insoluble fibre source will result in improved gut digestive capacity growth performance. The experimental diets consisted of a control diet and three diets containing…
Chemical composition of Lablab purpureus and Vigna unguiculata and their subsequent effects on methane production in Xhosa lop-eared goats
The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritive value and anti-nutrient contents of Lablab purpureus (Lablab) and Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) and their effects on methane production in goats. Legume forages were grown and harvested at three stages of…
Effects of sex and stocking density on the performance of broiler chickens in a sub-tropical environment
The current study investigated the effects of sex and stocking density and their interaction on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens in a semi-arid sub-tropical environment. A total of 1008 day-old Cobb Avian48 chicks, namely 462 males and…
A novel flush technique to simulate natural dispersal of spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract and expedite motility assessment of fresh ejaculated Merino (Ovis aries) sperm
Motility is an important criterion in the assessment and quantification of the quality of ejaculated and epididymal sperm samples. Ovine sperm spermatozoa are particularly susceptible to cryodamage, and shortening the interval from collection to cryostorage may potentially minimize the negative…
Analysis of carcass characteristics and fat deposition of Merino, South African Mutton Merino and Dorper lambs housed in a feedlot
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of time spent in a feedlot on the size of the various fat depots and the distribution of the main tissues (muscle, bone, and fat) of three common South African…
Effects of replacing soybean meal with alternative sources of protein on nutrient digestibility and energy value of sheep diets
The study determined the potential of eight locally produced protein sources to replace soybean meal (SBM) in the diet of sheep. Three in vivo digestibility trials were conducted using a Latin square (3x3, 4x4 and 4x4) experimental design with castrated…
Chemical composition, organic matter digestibility and energy content of apple pomace silage and its combination with corn plant, sugar beet pulp and pumpkin pulp*
The objective of this research was to investigate and compare the quality of apple pomace silage ensiled with corn plant, sugar beet pulp, and pumpkin pulp for nutrient compositions. Fresh samples of apple pomace, corn plant, sugar beet pulp, pumpkin…
Effects of diets containing hemp seeds or hemp cake on fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of sheep milk
High levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are desirable in milk for its nutritional quality, but make it vulnerable to oxidation. The aim of this trial was to assess the effects of dietary intake of hemp (seeds or cake) on…
Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (Opuntia stricta [Haw.] Haw.) spineless cactus as an option in crossbred dairy cattle diet
A new genotype of spineless cactus is being used in the diets of dairy cattle that are raised in semi-arid regions. However, little is known about its nutritional value. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing Miúda (Nopalea…
In vitro ruminal fermentation and fatty acid production by various oil seeds
Rumen simulating techniques (Rusitec) were used to determine the impact of diets containing milled oilseeds on the fermentation parameters and amount of fatty acids (FA) in the effluent. High-forage diets containing no oilseeds (control diet (CD)) or 10% oilseed meal…
Effects of vitamin B6 and tryptophan on pork quality and amount of lean meat in gilts of 70–100 kg bodyweight
Supplementary tryptophan in pig diets has shown improvement in carcass traits and pork quality by reducing the animals' response to stress at slaughter. Vitamin B6 could enhance this response since it acts as an enzymatic cofactor of many tryptophan pathways…
Oxidation processes of Longissimus dorsi from pigs supplemented with linseed oil and antioxidants
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pig fodder supplementation on lipid oxidation of Longissimus dorsi (L. dorsi ) after frozen storage at -20 °C ± 1 °C for nine months. Fodder additives included 3% linseed…
Use of sweet lupin, canola oilcake and full-fat canola as alternatives to soybean oilcake in diets for broilers
The effect of replacing soybean oilcake meal as a protein source with three levels (6.6%, 13.0% and 20.0%) of sweet lupin (Lupinus angustifolius), canola oilcake and full-fat canola in diets for broiler chickens was examined. A control diet with soybean…
Evaluation of golden needle mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) stem waste on pullet performance and immune response
The driving force behind the interest in using natural herbs in poultry production is to eliminate the use of low-dose antibiotics. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the effect of Flammulina velutipes mushroom waste (FVW) on performance parameters,…
Application of the climate analogue concept in assessing the probable physiological and haematological responses of Friesian cattle to changing and variable climate in the Kenyan Highlands
Friesian cattle are considered the most sensitive to climate change-induced thermal stress and remain the major dairy breed in Kenya. This study applied the climate analogue concept to predict probable physiological and haematological responses of Friesian cattle in the 2050s…
