Research Articles (Animal Sciences)
Recent Submissions
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The effect of age on the carcass composition, portion yield and proximate composition of two rabbit genetic types in South Africa
(Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 2017)This study investigated the carcass component yields and meat proximate composition of 2 rabbit genetic types (Californian and hybrid New Zealand Red×Californian), with 5 rabbits per genetic type being slaughtered every 2 ... -
Proximate and fatty acid composition of cooked South African Cape snoek (Thyrsites atun)
(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2017)Cape snoek (Thyrsites atun) is an important source of protein for people in South Africa; however, nutritional information thereof is limited. The proximate and fatty acid compositions of raw and cooked (80 °C) snoek muscles ... -
Replacing maize grain with dried citrus pulp in a concentrate feed for Jersey cows grazing ryegrass pasture
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2017-07-06)Dried citrus pulp (DCP) is a high-fibre by-product of the citrus industry. In total mixed ration (TMR) systems it has been shown to maintain a more stable ruminal environment, improving overall production compared with ... -
Preliminary genome-wide association study for wet-dry phenotype in smallholder ovine populations in South Africa
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2017-04-10)The aim of this study was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with genomic region underlying variation in the binomial reproductive trait ‘wet-dry’ in sheep. The wet-dry phenotype was used to ... -
Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Merino, South African Mutton Merino and Dorper lambs
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2016-12-08)This study investigated the effect of feedlot production on lamb growth characteristics of three common South African breeds: Merino, South African Mutton Merino (SAMM) and Dorper. Lambs were supplied with a balanced diet ... -
Dead-in-shell positions of near-term ostrich embryos
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2016-12-06)The patterns of embryonic development in ostriches, especially in the last stage of hatching, are still not well understood. This study examined between 3468 and 3484 dead-in-shell (DIS) eggs with chicks that died between ... -
Towards a regional beef carcass classification system for Southern Africa
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2017-05-15)Southern Africa is home to over 64 million cattle, of which 75% are raised on natural pasture in smallholder farming areas. Indigenous cattle breeds Bos indicus (zebu), B. taurus africanus (Sanga type) and their crosses ... -
Castration of male livestock and the potential of immunocastration to improve animal welfare and production traits : invited review
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2017-09-15)Growing consumer awareness about animal welfare has led to the assessment of the impact of common farming practices, such as physical castration, on animal well-being under production conditions. Physical castration is ... -
Male reproductive health statement (XIIIth international symposium on Spermatology, may 9th–12th 2018, Stockholm, Sweden
(BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2018-10-29)On the occasion of the XIIIth International Symposium on Spermatology held from 9 to 13 May 2018 in Stockholm (Sweden), participants (guest speakers and audience) collectively felt the need to make a public statement on ... -
The effect of extensive human presence at an early age on stress responses and reactivity of juvenile ostriches towards humans
(MDPI, 2018-07)The effect of extensive human presence and regular gentle handling performed at an early age (0–3 months old) on stress responses and reactivity of juvenile ostriches towards humans was investigated. A total of 416 ostrich ... -
Direct PCR offers a fast and reliable alternative to conventional DNA isolation methods for gut microbiomes
(American Society for Microbiology, 2017)The gut microbiome of animals is emerging as an important factor influencing ecological and evolutionary processes. A major bottleneck in obtaining microbiome data from large numbers of samples is the time-consuming ... -
Conservation of indigenous cattle genetic resources in Southern Africa’s smallholder areas : turning threats into opportunities - A review
(Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies, 2017)The current review focuses on characterization and conservation efforts vital for the development of breeding programmes for indigenous beef cattle genetic resources in Southern Africa. Indigenous African cattle breeds ... -
Genetic traits of relevance to sustainability of smallholder sheep farming systems in South Africa
(MDPI, 2017)Sustainable livestock production is important to ensure continuous availability of resources for future generations. Most smallholder livestock farming systems in developing countries have been perceived to be environmentally, ... -
Effects of whey, molasses and exogenous enzymes on the ensiling characteristics, nutrient composition and aerobic stability of maize cobs
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2016)The study was conducted to assess the effects of whey, molasses and exogenous enzymes on fermentation, aerobic stability and nutrient composition of ensiled maize cobs. Five treatments were ensiled in 1.5 L anaerobic glass ... -
Comparison of shear force tenderness, drip and cooking loss, and ultimate muscle pH of the loin muscle among grass-fed steers of four major beef crosses slaughtered in Namibia
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2016)The authors investigated the effects of breed (Brahman, Bonsmara, Simbrah and Simmental crosses) and post-mortem ageing on meat tenderness, purge, cooking loss and ultimate pH of the longissimus muscle under commercial ... -
Evaluation of the OvineSNP50 chip for use in four South African sheep breeds : short communication
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2016)Relatively rapid and cost-effective genotyping using the OvineSNP50 chip holds great promise for the South African sheep industry and research partners. However, SNP ascertainment bias may influence inferences from the ... -
Potential of using maize cobs in pig diets : a review
(Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies, 2015)The quest to broaden the narrow range of feed ingredients available to pig producers has prompted research on the use of low cost, unconventional feedstuffs, which are typically fibrous and abundant. Maize cobs, a by-product ... -
Suspected lead poisoning in two captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) in South Africa, in 2008 and 2013
(AOSIS Publishing, 2015-08)Whilst lead poisoning in raptors, scavenging birds and waterfowl is well studied and common knowledge, there is surprisingly little literature detailing the risk to mammalian scavengers and captive carnivores fed hunted ... -
Carcass traits and cutting yields of entire and immunocastrated pigs fed increasing protein levels with and without ractopamine hydrochloride supplementation
(American Society of Animal Science, 2015)The objective of this study was to determine the effects of increasing balanced protein, with and without ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC), in the finisher diets of immunocastrates on their carcass cutting yields and ... -
Pork as a Source of Omega-3 (n-3) Fatty Acids
(MDPI, 2015-12)Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, but typical feeding practices give it a high omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid ratio and make it a poor source of n-3 fatty acids. Feeding pigs n-3 fatty acids can ...
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