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
The response in food intake and reproductive parameters of breeding ostriches to increasing dietary energy
Elucidating the factors affecting feed intake is important when quantifying nutrient responses in breeding ostriches. The experiment was conducted to determine to what extent dietary energy content will affect the important production parameters of breeding ostriches. Ninety pairs of breeding…
Between male variation in semen characteristics and preliminary results on the dilution of semen in the ostrich
This study is part of an ongoing project on artificial insemination in ostriches. The physical output of neat semen from four ostrich males was investigated and the effect of reconstituting semen with: 1) seminal plasma of the same male (SPS);…
Dietary manipulation of oil production in commercial emu
The aim of this research was to optimize emu oil production by manipulation of the dietary protein and energy ratios for greater fat accretion. The research was done at African Emu Ranch in Muldersdrift, Gauteng. Twenty-four, four to five months…
Embryo transfer using cryopreserved Boer goat blastocysts
The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of embryo cryopreservation techniques on the survivability of embryos and fertility following transfer to Boer goat does. The oestrous cycles of 27 mature recipients Boer goat does were synchronised using…
Reproductive performance of semi-intensively kept Döhne Merino ewes fed with different protein supplements
A trial was conducted to determine the possible effects of an easily digestible nitrogen source in the form of urea compared to an undegradable protein supplement, age and birth status on the reproductive performance (ovulation rate and rate of twinning)…
Genetic trends in South African terminal sire sheep breeds
Genetic trends were constructed for early growth traits in the Dormer and Ile de France terminal sire sheep breeds. The traits that were considered were birth weight, pre-weaning weight, weaning weight and post-weaning weight. However, pre-weaning weights were only available…
The effect of age and gender on the fat distribution in Merino lambs
The goal of this study was to determine the effect of gender on visceral and subcutaneous fat distribution of Merino lambs finished off under feedlot conditions. The diet (16% protein, 10MJ ME/kg feed) was fed ad libitum and animals had…
A comparison of genetic diversity between South African conserved and field chicken populations using microsatellite markers
The objective of the study was to determine genetic diversity within South African indigenous chicken populations and the effectiveness of the current conservation flocks in capturing the available diversity in the founder populations. Two chicken populations, Venda (VD_C) and Ovambo…
An evaluation of ratios as a measure of carcass traits using mature indigenous chickens in Limpopo Province of South Africa
Live weight and weight of body parts of 60 mature indigenous chickens were collected to investigate whether the use of ratios in poultry science may cause misinterpretation of data and misleading conclusions. Three villages from Mukula Tribal land in Thulamela…
Boar effects and their relations to fertility and litter size in sows
Twenty Large White boars and 60 sows were used in two experiments for this study. In experiment 1, 20 sows were assigned per group to each of three treatments, twice daily for a 30-min period during a 4-wk observation, involving:…
The assessment of crystals derived from Aloe spp. for potential use as an herbal anthelmintic thereby indirectly controlling blo
Dagginess predisposes sheep to breech strike and can be controlled with management practices (e.g. mulesing, crutching) or by treating the animal with an anthelmintic. The effect of regular treatment with crystals derived from Aloe spp as a natural anthelmintic was…
Nutritionally-related blood metabolites and faecal egg counts in indigenous Nguni goats of South Africa
The objective of the study was to determine the effect of season on faecal egg counts and biochemical profiles in indigenous Nguni goats of South Africa. Body weights, body condition scores, faecal and blood samples were collected from 96 goats…
Effect of sun drying on microbes in non-conventional agricultural by-products
There is concern whether cabbage and beetroot wastes from the Fresh Produce Market are safe for feeding animals given the fact that some will have been discarded at the onset of putrefaction. This study evaluated the effects of sun-drying on…
Evaluation of potato hash silage from two bacterial inoculants and their effects on the growth performance of grower pigs
Potato hash was mixed with wheat bran at 7:3 ratio, treated with homofermentative LAB inoculant (BMF, bonsilage forte), heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (LFLB, Lalsil Fresh LB) and without LAB inoculant and ensiled in 210 L drums for 90 days…
Effects of sun-dried Opuntia ficus-indica on feed and water intake and excretion of urine and faeces by Dorper sheep
The effects of incremental levels (0, 24 and 36%) of sun-dried and coarsely ground Opuntia cladodes in balanced diets on feed and water intake and excretion of urine and faeces were investigated. Nine Dorper wethers (mean live weight 45.3 ±…
Palatibility of Opuntia varieties available in South Africa for dryland sheep
Opuntia is generally recognized as a fruit crop for semi-arid, subtropical conditions around the world. The majority of Opuntia plant biomass is palatable and is a cladode material rather than fruits which can be fed to livestock. An experiment was…
Growth performance of feedlot weaners cattle fed diet containing different levels of cold press soya bean oilcake
The value of cold press soya bean oil cake (CPSBOC) as the source of protein in beef cattle was evaluated. CPSBOC was included in the diets of beef weaners at different levels i.e. 0%, 6%, 13% and 20%. The control…
The conversion of dopamine to epinephrine and nor-epinephrine is breed dependent
In previous reports, Nguni type cattle have shown to have a lower glycolytic potential with less glycogen measured in muscles 1 h post-mortem. With the release of catecholamines in the immediate pre-slaughter period, there is potential for depletion of muscle…
Movements of adult Culicoides midges around stables in KwaZulu-Natal
Preferences of adult Culicoides midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were examined to identify focal spots for vectors of African Horse Sickness (AHS). Five similar regions across five farms were sampled at regular periods over one year. The catches were identified to species…
Breeding sites of Culicoides midges in KwaZulu-Natal
Locating breeding sites of disease vectors is an essential part of their control and the subsequent control of the diseases that they transmit. African Horse Sickness (AHS) is vectored by Culicoides midges and, while information is available on their breeding…
