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
Milk fatty acid composition and conjugated linoleic acid content of Jersey and Fleckvieh x Jersey cows in a pasture-based feeding system
A number of fatty acids (FAs), such as omega-3, omega-6 and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which are present in the milk from dairy cows are considered essential FAs and beneficial nutrients for humans. The aim of the study was to…
Effects of prebiotics and probiotics on the performance and bacterial colonization of broiler chickens
A study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of Neoxyval (antimicrobial growth promoter (AGP)), TechnoMos (prebiotic), GalliPro (probiotic) and a mixture of TechnoMos and GalliPro (symbiotic) on growth performance, carcass yield, histomorphology and intestinal bacterial counts in broilers (0 d…
Dietary effects of chitosan and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) on the performance and serum lipid profile of broiler chicks
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) alone or in combination with chitosan, in broiler diets, on the growth, feed intake and serum lipid profile of broilers. Starting as 10-day olds, 144…
Utility of the browser’s behavioural and physiological strategies in coping with dietary tannins: Are exogenous tannin-inactivating treatments necessary? Review
The desire to reduce feeding costs in small-ruminant production systems has led to increased reliance on non-conventional locally available browse products as protein supplements. Browse products contain variable quantities of tannins, whose nutritional effects on the animal can be positive…
A balanced perspective on animal welfare for improved meat and meat products. Review
Increased public concern for animal welfare in the logistics chain has led to a rise in the scrutiny of the treatment of food animals. Factors affecting the status of welfare of slaughter animals begin at the farm and occur during…
Comparative analysis of the in vitro fermentation of wasted cladodes (Opuntia spp.), lucerne and oat hays
Wasted cladodes from the cactus pear (Opuntia ficus spp.) are an environmental nuisance, and alternative measures are required to utilize this product, such as utilizing it as a ruminant feedstuff. By simulating ruminal fermentation through in vitro gas production, the…
Genetic analysis of pre-weaning survival and inbreeding in the Boxer dog breed of South Africa
Members of the Federation of Boxer Clubs in Southern Africa (FBCSA) have participated in official recording for many years. The aim of the study was to estimate genetic parameters and trends for pre-weaning survival and to assess inbreeding in the…
Genetic variability of bovine GHR, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 genes in Indian cattle and buffalo
The identification of genetic polymorphisms in the genes that play a crucial role in regulatiing growth and development of livestock enables us to evaluate the biological similarities and to acquire a better perspective of quantitative traits. The present study was…
Effects of organic acid and probiotic on performance and gut morphology in broiler chickens
The effects of organic acid, probiotic and a combination of the two on performance and gut morphology in broiler chickens were investigated. Two hundred and forty one-day-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments with six…
Estimation of organic matter digestibility, metabolizable energy, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of stems and seeds of the Juncus acutus plant in ruminant nutrition
The objectives of the present study were to determine the organic matter digestibility (OMD), metabolizable energy (ME), antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations of stems and seeds of Juncus acutus. Stem and seed samples were collected from Hamsiloz…
Environmental and genetic factors affecting faecal worm egg counts in Merinos divergently selected for reproduction
Infestation with gastrointestinal nematodes is probably among the most pervasive problems in small-stock production worldwide. Faecal worm egg count (FWEC) has been reported as an indirect measure of parasite resistance in livestock production. Environmental and genetic factors of FWEC were…
Replacement of soybean meal with maize steep liquor in the diets of feedlot lambs
It was hypothesized that maize steep liquor, which is high in crude protein, could replace soybean meal in supplementation strategies in lamb production systems. Therefore, the effects of replacing soybean meal with maize steep liquor at 0%, 33%, 66% and…
Effect of diets differing in rumen soluble nitrogen on utilization of poor-quality roughage by sheep
This study investigated the effects of replacing rapid-release nitrogen (N) from urea with a graded level of slow-release N (Optigen® II) source on intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis, when sheep were fed a poor-quality roughage diet. Five…
HEPES buffer in ovary-transportation medium influences developmental competence of cattle oocytes
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ovary transportation in a semi-complex medium containing HEPES at different temperatures on the developmental competence and the quality of in vitro-produced embryos. The cattle ovaries were transported in normal saline (NS),…
The influence of boar breed and season on semen parameters
The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the influence of boar breed and season on semen parameters. The research material consisted of 31 boars: Polish Large White (PLW), Polish Landrace (PL), and Duroc × Pietrain (D × P),…
Blood metabolite concentrations and postpartum resumption of ovarian cyclicity in Sanga cows
An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of concentrations of certain blood nutrient-sensitive metabolites and the resumption of postpartum ovarian cyclicity in 16 Sanga cows (mean BCS 5). Blood samples were taken from cows from weeks 1 to 13…
Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on drake semen quality
This study was conducted to determine the effect on semen quality traits of supplementing the diets of Iraqi drakes with L-carnitine. Forty eight male Iraqi ducks, 30 weeks old, were randomly allocated to four treatments with 12 drakes per treatment…
Seasonal variation in semen quality of Dorper rams using different collection techniques
The aim of the study was to evaluate the seasonal variation in semen quality of Dorper rams using different semen collection techniques. The study was carried out from January 2012 to January 2013. A general management programme for health control…
Chemical features, cholesterol and energy content of table hen eggs from conventional and alternative farming systems
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of conventional farming systems for laying hens (standard cage batteries) and new alternative systems (improved cages and free range), approved by European Union (EU) poultry welfare legislation, on the chemical and…
The Tankwa Karoo National Park feral goat population: A unique genetic resource (Short communication)
The feral goats from Tankwa Karoo National Park in the Northern Cape, South Africa, constitute a potentially unique goat population, which dates back to the early 1900s, but is now at risk of extinction. A total of 66 feral goats…
