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
In vitro ruminal fermentation parameters of canola meal protein in response to incremental doses of gamma irradiation
Rapid ruminal degradation of canola meal (CM) limits its feed value for high-producing ruminants. Attempts to reduce ruminal degradability of CM through gamma irradiation have generated conflicting results. While this strategy has the potential to reduce CM degradability, the optimal…
Effects of yeast hydrolysate versus plasma powder on growth, immunity, and intestinal morphology of weanling piglets
 Yeast hydrolysate (YH) is rich in amino acids, small peptides, B vitamins, glutathione, and nucleotides, which makes it a possible substitute for spray-dried plasma powder (SDPP). This research was conducted to estimate the application of YH instead of SDPP in creep…
Assessing the efficiency of smallholder wool farmers in the changing paradigms of the Free State province of South Africa
The South African population is predicted to increase to almost 66 million by 2030. This necessitates paradigm shifts to improve agricultural efficiency. However, South African wool production has continuously declined over the past three decades. The study analysed the efficiency of smallholder…
Performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fed on diets with different levels of concentrate
The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of diets with increasing concentrate levels on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of Murrah buffaloes in feedlot. Twenty-four animals, with an initial body weight of 240 ± 50.5 kg…
Nutritional regulation of gut health through the gastrointestinal tract microbiota in weaning piglets
Piglets experience stresses that impact intestinal homeostasis and result in a high incidence of diarrhoea and reduced growth performance during weaning. Recent studies have indicated that gastrointestinal tract microbiota can be nutritionally regulated in ways that can benefit and promote…
Phenotypic diversity of local goats in northern Mexico
The study documented phenotypic diversity of local goats from Comarca Lagunera in northern Mexico. Two hundred and five goats were chosen from 2980 local animals. Morpho-structural and phenotypic traits, age, live weight, body condition, and 33 zoometric characteristics were recorded…
Effect of starch and crude protein in supplemental feed on rumen fermentation, growth performance, and carcass characteristics in early- and late-fattening Hanwoo steers
Recently, there has been an increased focus on developing high-energy and high-protein feeds for Hanwoo steers in Korea to reduce the fattening period and decrease production costs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different starch…
Spatio-temporal epidemiological survey reveals high infestation and extensive species diversity of hard ticks infesting camels from Pakistan
Camel production is severely hampered in Pakistan by a wide range of diseases, including ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Camels serve as hosts for various tick-borne pathogens that can lead to human illnesses. Thereby, it was necessary to identify tick species and…
Effects of lamb sex, parity, and birth type on milk yield, lactation length, and milk components in Zom ewes raised under semi-intensive conditions
This study aimed to determine the effects of parity, birth type, and lamb sex on milk yield, lactation length, milking period, and milk components in Zom ewes. In this study, which included 83 Zom ewes, it was observed that birth…
Dietary protected fat and conjugated linoleic acid improves ewe milk fatty acid composition
The effects of protected fats (Optima 100) and conjugated linoleic acid (Endulac®-CLA) supplementation on sheep milk saturated and unsaturated fatty acid composition were investigated. Sheep were divided into four experimental groups (15 ewes/group) including: i) a control group - basal…
Behavioural responses of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) to novel objects
In recent years, keeping alpacas has becoming increasingly popular. However, little research has been conducted on their behaviour. The study aimed to assess behavioural responses of alpacas towards novel objects as a step toward a practical test including novelty and…
Healthy, sub-clinical, and clinical mastitis in Holstein–Friesian cattle: A comparative echotextural and electrical conductivity study
The goal of this research was to investigate the echotextural parameters, numerical pixel values (NPVs), and pixel heterogeneity (PSDs) of the lymph node and udder parenchyma, as well as the correlation between echotextural parameters and electrical conductivity (EC), in order…
Effect of additives to Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) silage on nutrient composition and rumen parameters in vitro
In this study, Italian ryegrass ensiled in laboratory silos was examined in vitro to evaluate the nutrient composition of silage and rumen parameters. In this study, four experimental treatments were included, which included a control group (Italian ryegrass silage), the…
Different methodologies for determining the nutrient metabolism and energy coefficients of a commercial diet for two species of parrots of the genus, Amazona
This study aimed to compare two methods of excreta collection: the traditional, total method and a partial method using indigestible neutral detergent fibre (iNDF) as an internal marker for determining the metabolism coefficients of nutrients and energetic value of the…
The broad-based eco-economic impact of beef and dairy production: A global review
Cattle have been the focus of an intense debate between those concerned about, among other things, the possible negative effects on global warming, land degradation, food competition, and human health and those who are positive toward the possible role of…
Effects of a low protein diet on calcium metabolism in growing Cashmere goats
The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of a low-protein diet on calcium (Ca) homeostasis and the gene expression related to Ca absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and kidney in growing Cashmere goats. A total of…
A comparison of growth models for cross- and purebred lambs in precision livestock farming systems
Implementation of precision livestock farming requires extensive information to be gathered on the production cycle of slaughter lambs. Constructing accurate growth models for crossbred sheep from the South African flock would provide valuable information towards this goal. Two dam lines,…
Dietary fig seeds improve growth performance and antioxidant capacity of quail
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the addition of fig seed (FS) as a feed additive in quail rations on growth performance, carcass parameters, and antioxidant status. A total of 2000 one-day-old quail chicks were…
The effect of fibre source in finishing diets on lamb performance and muscle fatty acid composition
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary fibre sources on the performance, carcass characteristics, and muscle fatty acid composition of finishing lambs. Fifty-eight Merino ram lambs were randomly allocated to nutritionally similar treatment diets differing…
Estimating milk production and energy-use efficiency of pasture-grazed Holstein and Jersey cows using mathematical models
The efficiency of feed use for milk production is critical for sustainable and profitable pasture-based dairy systems. The aim of this study was to estimate milk production and energy-use efficiencies of pasture-grazed Holstein and Jersey cows. Lactation records of 122…
