SAHEL JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCES (SJVS)

Guide for Authors

Journal of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria

ISSN 2756-6803 (Print)                                   eISSN 3122-0487 (Online)

 

INTRODUCTION

This guide describes how to prepare manuscripts for submission to the Sahel Journal of Veterinary Sciences (SJVS). Authors are strongly encouraged to read this guide carefully and adhere to all requirements before submission. Manuscripts that do not comply with these guidelines may be returned for correction prior to peer review.

SJVS publishes original research articles, review articles, short communications, case reports, and letters to the editor on all aspects of veterinary sciences and related disciplines. All contributions must be written in clear, concise English (American or British usage accepted; consistency within the manuscript is expected). The journal is published quarterly in both print and electronic formats.

1. JOURNAL POLICIES AND ETHICS

1.1 Originality and Duplicate Publication

Manuscripts submitted to SJVS must be original and must not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere, in any language. This includes electronic publication in any form. By submitting a manuscript, all authors confirm that they have approved the final version and agree to its submission to SJVS.

Upon acceptance, authors must submit a signed Copyright Transfer Agreement, assigning copyright to SJVS. Preprints posted on non-commercial servers (e.g., institutional repositories, bioRxiv) must be declared at submission and may remain available, but the accepted version should link to the final published article.

1.2 Plagiarism and Text Recycling

SJVS employs plagiarism detection software to screen all submissions. The maximum permitted similarity index is 15% overall, with no more than 5% from any single source. However, the editorial team evaluates the nature and location of matched text: high similarity in Methods (e.g., standard protocols) may be acceptable, whereas similarity in Discussion, Results, or Abstract requires explanation. Manuscripts exceeding these thresholds will be returned for revision or rejected.

1.3 Authorship

Authorship must conform to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (www.icmje.org). All authors must meet ALL four criteria established by the ICMJE (substantial contributions to conception/design or data acquisition/analysis; drafting or revising the article; final approval of the version to be published; and agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work). Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet all four criteria should be listed in the Acknowledgements section with their specific contribution described. SJVS does not permit the addition or removal of authors after acceptance unless justified by exceptional circumstances and approved by the Editor-in-Chief.

1.4 Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived as influencing the research. This includes employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications, and grants. Disclosures must be submitted at the time of submission via the online system and will be published with the article.

1.5 Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs)

SJVS recognizes that AI tools may be used for language polishing, structural organization, and grammar correction. However, the following conditions apply:

• AI tools may NOT be listed as authors, as they cannot assume ethical or legal responsibility for the work.
• Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content, including AI-assisted text. AI-generated content must be verified against primary sources.
• Undisclosed use of AI tools will result in immediate rejection. Manuscripts found to contain substantial unverified AI-generated content during review or post-publication may be retracted.

1.6 Research Ethics and Animal Welfare

All research involving animals must comply with the ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0 (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments; https://arriveguidelines.org) and local/national regulations. Authors must:

• Provide the institutional ethical approval reference number and name of the ethics committee for studies involving live animal experimentation, invasive procedures, or prospective clinical trials.
• State that unnecessary cruelty was avoided and that humane endpoints were applied where appropriate.
• Studies lacking appropriate ethical approval or demonstrating unnecessary harm will be rejected. SJVS reserves the right to request raw data or ethical approval documentation at any stage.

1.7 Data Availability

SJVS encourages authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available, either in the published article or in a public repository

2. SUBMISSION PROCESS

2.1 Online Submission

SJVS accepts submissions exclusively through its online manuscript submission system at www.saheljvs.org. The system guides authors through a stepwise process:

• Register for an account at www.saheljvs.org
• Log in and select "Submit New Manuscript"
• Complete the submission checklist confirming adherence to SJVS policies
• Upload manuscript files (see Section 3 for file requirements)
• Enter metadata: title, abstract, keywords, author details, funding sources
• Declare conflicts of interest and AI tool usage
• Review and confirm submission

Authors will receive an automated acknowledgement email upon successful submission. The submission can be tracked through the author dashboard.

2.2 Cover Letter

A cover letter is required for all submissions and must include:

• Full title (concise, informative; maximum 150 characters including spaces)
• Short/running title (maximum 60 characters including spaces)
• Author Names and Details: The full name of each author (Surname followed by initials) must be listed in the cover letter. Additionally, every author listed on the manuscript must be registered on the online manuscript submission system.
• Affiliations: Provide the institutional affiliation for each author, including the Department, Faculty or College, University or Institution, City, and Country.
• Corresponding Author: Must be clearly marked with an asterisk (*). Providing a valid email address and a registered ORCID iD is mandatory for the corresponding author.
• Confirmation that the manuscript is original and not under consideration elsewhere
• Statement that all authors have approved the final version

2.3 Pre-Submission Checklist

Before submission, confirm that your manuscript includes:

• Full title
• Abstract
• Keywords (3–6 terms)
• Main text with all required sections
• References formatted according to SJVS style
• Tables (editable, not images)
• Figures (high-resolution, with captions)
• Supplementary materials, if applicable
• Ethical approval statement
• Conflicts of interest disclosure
• AI usage declaration (if applicable)

3. MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

3.1 General Formatting

• Font: Times New Roman, 12-point, throughout (including abstract, footnotes, and references)
• Spacing: Double-spaced throughout
• Margins: Minimum 2.5 cm on all sides
• Line numbering: Continuous, starting from the title page
• Page numbering: Arabic numerals, bottom centre, starting from title page
• File format: Microsoft Word (.docx) or OpenDocument Text (.odt)
• Language: English (American or British usage accepted; consistency required within the manuscript)

3.2 File Organization

Submit as separate files via the online system:

• Main Manuscript: Title page, abstract, keywords, main text, references, tables (editable), figure captions. Figures may be embedded at low resolution for review purposes.
• High-Resolution Figures: Each figure as a separate file (see Section 5.2 for specifications).
• Supplementary Materials: Data sets, questionnaires, additional tables, or videos.
• Cover Letter: As described in Section 2.2.

3.3 Manuscript Structure

Organize the manuscript in the following order:

1. Full title (concise, informative; maximum 150 characters including spaces)
2. Abstract: Maximum 250 words for original research; 150 words for short communications; 300 words for review articles. Use complete sentences, active verbs, third person, past tense. Avoid abbreviations, references, and undefined acronyms
3. Keywords: 3–6 keywords or phrases for indexing.
4. Introduction
5. Materials and Methods
6. Results
7. Discussion
8. Conclusions
9. Acknowledgements
10. Author Contributions
11. References
12. REFERENCES

4.1 In-Text Citations

Single author: (Bukar, 2003) or Bukar (2003)

Two authors: (Ambali and James, 1992)

Three or more authors: (Paul et al., 2003) — use "et al." (with period)

Multiple citations: (Baba, 1993; Ambali and James, 1992; Mohammed, 1998; David, 1987a, b)

Same author, same year: (Dahiru, 1993, 1995) or (David, 1987a, b)

Personal communications and unpublished data: Cite in text only, NOT in the reference list. Example: "(Yusuf, O.D. University of Ibadan, Nigeria, personal communication)"

4.2 Reference List Format

Arrange alphabetically by first author's surname. For multiple works by the same author, sort chronologically; for same year, add lowercase letters (a, b, c). Include DOIs where available. Journal names should be written either in full, or abbreviated according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) style (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals).

1. Journal Articles

Author, A.A., Author, B.B. and Author, C.C. (Year). Title of article. Journal Abbreviation, Volume(Issue): pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxxxx

Example: Baba, S.S. (1999). Detection of rabies virus RNA and antigen in tissues from naturally infected Nigerian dogs: In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical studies. Rev. Elev. Med. Vet. Pays Trop., 52(2): 85-91. https://doi.org/10.19182/remvt.9866

Example: Bokko, B.P., Adamu, S.S. and Mohammed, A. (2011). Slaughter-mediated foetal wastage amongst cattle in the Sahel region of Nigeria. Sahel J. Vet. Sci., 10(2): 59-66. https://doi.org/10.4314/sjvs.v10i2.3

1. Books and Monographs

Author, A.A. and Author, B.B. (Year). Title of Book. Edition (if not first). Publisher, City, pp. xx-xx.

Example: Pelczar, J.R., Harley, J.P. and Klein, D.A. (1993). Microbiology: Concepts and Applications. McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, pp. 591-603.

Chapter in edited book: Nero, S.M. and Naear, R.C. (2009). How to prepare an electronic version of your article. In: Jones, B.S., Smith, R.Z. and Richards, E.M. (Eds.) Introduction to the Electronic Age. E-Publishing Inc., New York, pp. 281-304.

1. Conference Proceedings

Author, A.A. (Year). Title of paper. In: Title of Conference Proceedings, Date, Location. Publisher, City, pp. xx-xx.

Example: Baba, S.S., El-Yuguda, A.D., Egwu, G.O., Ribadu, A.Y., Ambali, A.G., Abubakar, M.B., Ibrahim, U.I. and Zoyem, N. (2007). Development and evaluation of the efficacy of heat tolerant peste des petits ruminants (PPR) vaccine in Nigeria. Proceedings of International Conference on Adaptive Science & Technology (ICAST 2007), 10-12 December 2007, GIMPA Campus, Accra, Ghana, pp. 138-141.

1. Web Resources

Author/Organization. (Year). Title of page/document [Online]. Available at: URL [Accessed: Day Month Year].

Example: World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). (2024). Terrestrial Animal Health Code [Online]. Available at: https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-code-online/ [Accessed: 15 May 2026].

If no author is identifiable, begin with the title. Include the DOI if available instead of a URL.

4.3 Reference Management

Authors are encouraged to use reference management software (e.g., Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote) with the SJVS output style available for download at www.saheljvs.org/downloads. Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all references.

5. TABLES, FIGURES, AND SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS

5.1 Tables

Number consecutively in Arabic numerals (Table 1, Table 2) in the order cited in text

Provide a concise, self-explanatory title above each table

Use horizontal rules only (top, below header, bottom); avoid vertical rules

Place footnotes below the table, indicated by superscript lowercase letters (a, b, c)

Define all abbreviations in footnotes, even if defined in text

Submit tables as editable Word tables, NOT as images or PDFs

Ensure data in tables do not duplicate data in text or figures

For large datasets, consider submitting as supplementary material

5.2 Figures

Number consecutively in Arabic numerals (Fig. 1, Fig. 2) in the order cited in text

Submit each figure as a separate file in addition to embedding low-resolution versions in the manuscript

Preferred formats: TIFF, EPS, PDF, or high-quality JPEG

Minimum resolution: 300 dpi for photographs, 600–1200 dpi for line art

Width: Single column (8.5 cm) or double column (17 cm)

Each caption should include: a brief title and a description of the illustration. Define all symbols, abbreviations, and error bars (e.g., "Values are mean ± SD").

Multi-panel figures: Label panels A, B, C, etc., and describe each in the caption

Maps: Include latitude/longitude, scale bar, and north arrow where applicable

5.3 Supplementary Materials

Supplementary materials (datasets, questionnaires, videos, additional figures/tables) may be submitted and will be published alongside the article. Upload via the online system and cite in the main text (e.g., "Supplementary Table S1"). Ensure files are clearly labelled and include a brief description.

6. NOMENCLATURE, UNITS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

6.1 Scientific Nomenclature

Follow internationally accepted codes: International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Shenzhen Code); International Code of Zoological Nomenclature; International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP).

6.2 Units and Measurements

Use the International System of Units (SI) throughout. Non-SI units may be used in parentheses at first mention (e.g., body temperature 38.5 °C (101.3 °F)). Use standard abbreviations for units (m, kg, s, L, mol, Pa, etc.) without periods. For concentrations, use mol/L or g/L rather than % (w/v) where possible.

6.3 Chemical and Biochemical Nomenclature

Follow IUPAC and IUBMB recommendations (https://iubmb.org/; https://iupac.org/). Use generic (non-proprietary) names for drugs and chemicals at first mention, with proprietary name and manufacturer in parentheses: meloxicam (Metacam®, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim, Germany). For equipment, provide manufacturer, city, and country: spectrophotometer (Model 6705, Jenway, Stone, UK).

6.4 Abbreviations and Acronyms

Define all abbreviations at first use in the abstract and again in the main text

Avoid abbreviations in the title and abstract unless universally recognized (e.g., DNA, PCR, ELISA)

Use standard abbreviations for units and statistical terms (SD, SEM, CI, df, n, p)

Limit non-standard abbreviations to those used ≥5 times in the manuscript

Latin abbreviations (e.g., i.e., e.g., et al., cf., viz.) should be used in parentheses only; use English equivalents in running text

7. ARTICLE TYPES AND SPECIFICATIONS

Authors submitting to the Sahel Journal of Veterinary Sciences must categorize their manuscript under one of the following official article types: Original Research, Review Article, Short Communication, Case Report, or Letter to the Editor.

8. PEER REVIEW PROCESS

8.1 Editorial Screening

All submissions undergo initial editorial screening for scope, originality, adherence to guidelines, and ethical compliance. Manuscripts failing screening will be returned within 7 days without external review.

8.2 Peer Review

SJVS operates a double-blind peer review process. At least two independent experts review each manuscript. Reviewers evaluate:

Originality and significance

Methodological rigor

Clarity of presentation

Ethical compliance

Adherence to reporting guidelines (e.g., ARRIVE, CONSORT, PRISMA)

8.3 Review Outcomes

Accept: Manuscript accepted as submitted

Minor Revision: Technical corrections required; reviewed by editor

Major Revision: Substantive changes required; re-reviewed by original reviewers

Reject and Resubmit: Fundamental flaws; new submission encouraged after major revision

Reject: Out of scope, insufficient novelty, or serious methodological flaws

8.4 Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a formal, evidence-based letter to the Editor-in-Chief within 14 days of receiving the decision. The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal, potentially consult an independent adjudicator, and respond within 21 days. Second appeals are not permitted.

8.5 Timeline

The journal is committed to providing authors with a rapid, rigorous, and transparent peer review experience

Initial screening: 7 days

First decision after review: 6–8 weeks

Revision deadline: 30 days (minor); 60 days (major)

Final decision after revision: 14 days

9. AFTER ACCEPTANCE

9.1 Proofs

One set of page proofs (PDF) will be sent to the corresponding author by email. Proofs must be checked carefully for errors in typesetting, data, and author details. Only essential corrections (typographical errors, formatting issues) are permitted at this stage; substantial changes to content or authorship require editorial approval.

Return proofs within 5 business days (120 hours). If no response is received, a reminder will be sent. If no response is received within 10 business days, the article may be published as typeset. SJVS is not responsible for uncorrected errors in the published version if proofs were not returned.

9.2 Corrections and Retractions

Errors discovered after publication will be assessed by the Journal and Significant errors affecting interpretation will be addressed via a Corrigendum or Erratum, linked to the original article. Severe issues that invalidate the study's conclusions, such as scientific misconduct, plagiarism, or pervasive honest error, will result in a formal retraction following COPE guidelines.

9.3 Publication Formats

All articles are published online. Hard copies and offprint are also printed on demand. All articles are open access options are available; contact the editorial office for details.

10. ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGE (APC)

An APC is levied for each accepted manuscript:

Nigerian authors: ₦35,000 (subsidized rate for authors affiliated with Nigerian institutions)

International authors: USD $100

Review articles: Waived (by invitation only)

10.1 APC Waiver Policy

Waivers may be granted upon application and must be submitted with a justification letter at the time of application. The Editor-in-Chief will decide within 14 days, depending available funding and support. Waiver decisions are final.

10.2 Payment

Payment methods:

Bank transfer (Nigerian authors): Zenith Bank PLC,

Account Name: Sahel Journal of Veterinary Sciences,

Account Number: 1013371970,

Account Type: Corporate/Current

International wire transfer (foreign authors): SWIFT:  ZEIBNGLAXXX

Invoices and receipts are issued upon request. APC must be paid within 30 days of acceptance; failure to pay may result in delayed publication.

11. COPYRIGHT AND LICENSING

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal exclusive license to publish. Authors may share the accepted manuscript (post-peer review, pre-typeset version) on personal websites and institutional repositories. SJVS Open Access content is licensed under a Creative Commons License (CC BY 4.0).

12. CONTACT INFORMATION

Editor-in-Chief:

Professor Muhammad M. Bukar

Sahel Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

University of Maiduguri

P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Nigeria

Email: info@saheljvs.org

Website: www.saheljvs.org

 

APPENDIX: REPORTING GUIDELINES

Authors are encouraged to consult the following guidelines when preparing specific study types:

• ARRIVE 2.0: Animal research (https://arriveguidelines.org)
• CONSORT: Randomized controlled trials (http://www.consort-statement.org)
• PRISMA: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses (http://www.prisma-statement.org)
• STROBE: Observational studies (https://www.strobe-statement.org)
• REFLECT: Randomized controlled trials in livestock (https://www.reflect-statement.org)