About the Journal

Background and Purpose

The South African Journal of Animal Science (SAJAS), formerly known as the South African Journal of Animal Production, has been a cornerstone of animal science research in South Africa since its inception in January 1971. As an open-access, peer-reviewed journal, SAJAS plays a vital role in advancing science by disseminating high-quality research focused on animal production and related fields. It supports national priorities such as food security, rural livelihoods, and sustainable agriculture by addressing critical issues in livestock nutrition, genetics, health, and production systems.

SAJAS fosters local research capacity, strengthens academic and practitioner networks, and promotes the visibility of African scholarship in global scientific discourse. The journal places particular emphasis on research relevant to Southern African contexts, bridging the gap between science and practice, and offering insights that inform both policy and on-the-ground agricultural interventions. Its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals - especially SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action) - underscores its broader contribution to sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems.

SAJAS holds particular regional importance as a platform for African animal science research, supporting local innovation while contributing to global knowledge exchange. Through a rigorous peer-review process and editorial workflows, the journal maintains high academic standards and ensures the integrity of published work. Its open-access model enhances transparency, visibility, and accessibility, making research freely available to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers across the continent and beyond.

History and Technical Infrastructure

Originally supported by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), SAJAS 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, SAJAS makes use of the Crossref 10.17159 DOI prefix. View the journal metadata health and the Crossref DOI Conflict Report here.

Focus and Scope

SAJAS publishes original scientific articles and reviews in animal science, with a focus on:

  • Farmed species, such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, and ostriches
  • Companion animals, such as horses and pet animal species
  • Aquatic and wildlife species

The journal covers disciplines including animal nutrition, genetics, physiology, production systems, product quality, behaviour, and welfare.

Submissions should represent original contributions to scientific knowledge, with clearly formulated hypotheses and relevance to the functioning of animals in their social or physical environments. A particular emphasis is placed on studies with a clear connection to Southern African data, contexts, or implications.

Detailed requirements for manuscript types and the peer-review process are outlined in the journal’s Policies and  Author Guidelines sections. Prospective authors are expected to adhere strictly to these policies and guidelines.

Publication Information

The South African Journal of Animal Science is published online only and the primary website is https://www.sajas.co.za. There is no hard-copy publication of the journal.

Rejection Rate

The average turnaround time for article consolidation is 84 days, the average overall journal rejection rate is 62%, and 93% of this is desk–rejection (data as of 30 June 2025).

Frequency

SAJAS publishes one volume per year, consisting of 12 issues, published at monthly intervals (as of January 2025). Accepted articles are published as soon as the publication fee (Article Processing Charges or APCs) has been paid and the copy-ready (galley) version has been approved by the submitting/corresponding author.

Manuscript Submissions

Details of the requirements for the different categories of manuscripts and of the peer-review process are given in the Policies and Author Guidelines sections. Prospective authors should adhere strictly to the guidelines detailed in these sections. Manuscripts that are not written with proper English grammar and syntax or that do not fully comply with the style and format of the journal will not be accepted for review. In all cases, submissions should represent original contributions to current scientific knowledge of the principles, and of the applications of the principles, governing the functioning of animals and their relationship to the social or physical environment.

The submission process is handled by an online journal management system (Public Knowledge Project Open Journal Systems) to facilitate the submission and review process. Authors who are new to the system can follow the step-by-step Guidelines for authors.

Disclaimer

The opinions, or conclusions, expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the South African Society for Animal Science. The South African Society for Animal Science accepts no responsibility for claims made in advertisements or articles on its website or in the South African Journal of Animal Science.

Journal Impact & Visibility

The South African Journal of Animal Science is ranked as follows:

The journal is also indexed/available as follows:

Accreditation

The South African Journal of Animal Science (SAJAS) is accredited by the South African Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This means that South African higher education institutions whose authors successfully publish with the SAJAS, can claim subsidy from the DHET. View the SA Research Outputs Policy (2015) here.

For an independent report on the journal by an ASSAf Peer-Review Panel, see the findings and recommendations from the Report on Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in the Agricultural and Related Basic Life Sciences (2010).

The journal subscribes to ASSAf's Code of Best Practice in Scholarly Journal Publishing, Editing, and Peer Review (2025).

Publisher & Owner

The South African Journal of Animal Science is owned and published by the South African Society for Animal Science. 

Journal Host

The South African Journal of Animal Science is hosted by Khulisa Journals, Academy of Science of South Africa.

International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs)

The journal is registered with the International Standard Serial Number | International Portal:

Online ISSN: 2221-4062
Print ISSN: 0375-1589