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 (2025): 0.8 (Q4 of subject category)
Scimago (SJR) (2025): 0.231 (Q3)
Scopus CiteScore (2025): 1.4
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…
Possible factors affecting the bioavailability of copper and the copper requirements of wild, free-ranging African herbivores: A review
Free-ranging wild herbivores in Africa comprise 78 species of ruminants and several species of monogastric hindgut fermenters, and are classified as grazers, mixed feeders, and browsers. The objective of this review is to provide guidance to wildlife nutrition advisers by…
The impact of increased vitamin and mineral intake during early gestation on the reproductive performance of sows
This study investigated the effects of supplementing vitamins and minerals to sows during early gestation. A total of 36 primiparous sows were randomly assigned one day before mating to four dietary treatments that were applied from mating to day 30…
Effects of different feeding regimes on growth performance, intake, digestibility, and ruminal metabolic and morphological characteristics in Awassi lambs
The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of different feeding regimes on the growth performance, nutrient intake, apparent digestibility, and ruminal metabolic and morphological characteristics of Awassi lambs. A total of 96 lambs (initial age: 10 ±…
Development and characterisation of a tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) fish burger enriched with soy okara
This study aimed to develop and characterise a fish burger made from mechanically separated tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) meat and incorporating soy okara as a functional ingredient. Four fish burger formulations were developed and the physicochemical characteristics (moisture, ash, lipid, protein,…
Dietary supplementation with zinc oxide nanoparticles improves growth performance and gut microbiota of broiler chickens reared in the tropics
This study evaluated the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, serum biochemistry, and gut microbial counts of broiler chickens reared in a tropical environment. A total of 120 one-day-old broiler chicks were assigned using a completely randomized design…
Effect of long-term, exogenous administration of oxytocin on milk production, composition, somatic cell count, and progesterone in postpartum Nili-Ravi buffalo
This study sought to explore the effect of the administration of long-term, exogenous oxytocin on buffalo milk. In this study, newly-calved postpartum buffaloes (Nili-Ravi) (n = 24) were divided equally into three groups: (control without oxytocin – CON, 10 i.u…
Prediction of milk yield using visual images of cows through deep learning
The objective of the study was to determine, through deep learning, the predictability of milk yield from a cow's side-view, rear-view image, or a combination of the two. The data size of 1 238 image pairs (the side-view and rear-view…
Natural additives as a source of antioxidants improve lipid oxidation, antioxidant activity, and shelf-life of beef
Forty young bulls were finished in feedlot with diets that contained different dosages of a combination of several natural additives (NA), i.e., clove essential oil, cashew and castor oil, and rumen-protected eugenol, vanillin, and thymol. The animals were randomized in…
Carcass yields in the main Algerian populations of camels: Sahraoui, Targui, steppe camel, and Reguibi (Camelus dromedarius L., 1758)
The carcass yield varies from one animal species to another and depends on various factors, such as the age of the animal, its health condition, diet, and activity level. The main objective of this study was to determine the yield…
Early lactational response to rumen-protected methionıne supplementation in dairy buffalo fed forage-based diets
This study determined the effects of rumen-protected methionine (RPMet) supplementation on milk yield and milk composition in early lactation dairy buffalo fed a forage-based diet. A total of 20 lactating, multiparous Anatolia water buffalo were used, with a mean initial…
Citric acid in the diet of male Venda chickens: Effects on carcass characteristics and physico-chemical attributes
This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of citric acid (CA) on carcass characteristics and physico-chemical attributes of male Venda chickens. A total of 200 male, one-day-old Venda chicks were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments…
PCV2: The unexpected threat – How fish infection can transform industries and society: A pilot study
Integrated fish and livestock farming is an ancient practice and is used to increase production per unit area and reduce the environmental impact caused by untreated animal excreta. Although integrated aquaculture has been used in some countries, including Brazil, this…
Effects of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua and Semen Cassiae feed additive on intestinal microflora of Wanxi White Goose
The widespread use of antibiotics in poultry breeding has led to drug resistance of pathogenic microorganisms. With long-term dependence on antibiotics, immunity in poultry has decreased, increased susceptibility and seriously affecting the quality of poultry protein products and consumer health…
Factors influencing consumer preferences for goat meat
In recent years, there has been a dramatic spike in meat prices in Algeria and globally and this has substantially influenced meat consumption trends. The study aims to understand the factors that influence consumer perceptions and goat meat consumption behaviour…
Effects of maternal L‑glutamine supplementation during late gestation on litter performance
To evaluate the effects of glutamine (Gln) supplementation on sow performance during late gestation and lactation and their offspring, eighty pregnant, multiparous sows of a commercial hybrid line were used in a completely randomized, 2 × 2 experimental design at…
The first morphological study of the Sloughi dog breed in Algeria
The present work aims to study morphometric profile, calculate body indices, and determine mathematical models that will be used for the estimation of adult live weights based on body measurements using multiple regression models in an endangered heritage breed, the…
Assessment of sperm quality of communal goats in the hard-veld region of Botswana
The objective of this study was to assess semen characteristics of bucks kept under communal management systems in the hard-veld, southern part of Botswana. In early autumn, semen was collected from 22 bucks ranging from ≤ 2 to ≥5 years…
Quality traits of table eggs as affected by management practices and storage periods
This study evaluated the external and internal quality characteristics after various storage periods (SP) of eggs from different management practices (MP) regarding layer hen housing and feeding systems. One hundred eggs collected from farms with Lohman Sandy hens raised in…
