Journal profile · Behavioral Sciences
Applied Animal Behaviour Science
ISSN 0168-1591 · eISSN 1872-9045 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Biweekly · Founded 1984
Applied Animal Behaviour Science: CAS Zone 2 · Agricultural & Forestry Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.61; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,220; review about 103 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: easy; 319 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Applied Animal Behaviour Science is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies, Human-Animal Interaction Studies and Animal Nutrition and Physiology, together about 48.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Animal Science and Zoology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Applied Animal Behaviour Science is an international journal reporting on the application of ethology to animals managed by humans. Applied Animal Behaviour Science publishes relevant information on the behaviour of domesticated and utilized animals.Topics covered include:Behaviour of farm, zoo and laboratory animals in relation to animal management and welfareBehaviour of companion animals in relation to behavioural problems, for example, in relation to the training of dogs for different purposes, in relation to behavioural problemsStudies of the behaviour of wild animals when these studies are relevant from an applied perspective, for example in relation to wildlife management, pest management or nature conservationMethodological studies within relevant fieldsThe principal subjects are farm, companion and laboratory animals, including poultry. The journal also deals with the following animal subjects:Those involved in any farming system, e.g. deer, rabbits and fur-bearing animalsThose in ANY form of confinement, e.g. zoos, safari parks and other forms of displayFeral animals, and any animal species which impinge on farming operations, e.g. as causes of loss or damageSpecies used for hunting, recreation etc. may also be considered as acceptable subjects in some instancesLaboratory animals, if the material relates to their behavioural requirementsApplied Animal Behaviour Science is affiliated with the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE)
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Behavioral Sciences
Editor-in-chief Irene CamerlinkPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United Kingdom 11, Italy 7, Australia 6, Spain 3, Canada 3 (44 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Animal Behavior and Welfare StudiesVeterinary26.8%
- Human-Animal Interaction StudiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology11.7%
- Animal Nutrition and PhysiologyAgricultural and Biological Sciences9.8%
- Primate Behavior and EcologyPsychology4.9%
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on LivestockAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.7%
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestockBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.6%
- Wildlife Ecology and ConservationEnvironmental Science4.5%
- Meat and Animal Product QualityAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Veterinary Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Behavioral Sciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Behavioral Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Veterinary Sciences | Zone 1 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Veterinary Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Behavioral Sciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.61LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.61LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.05LetPub ·
- h-index
- 95LetPub ·
- h-index
- 183OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,669OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.49OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 19.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 52.23%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 293LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 7,707 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 226 | 140 | 43 |
| 2025 | 319 | 198 | 662 |
| 2024 | 256 | 164 | 1,286 |
| 2023 | 236 | 137 | 1,656 |
| 2022 | 211 | 111 | 1,995 |
| 2021 | 257 | 121 | 3,782 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
103 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports 6–16 weeks
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–16 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 54 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 103 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,220 / EUR 3,010 / GBP 2,580 / JPY 399,380 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 2,930 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers2, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 400 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Highlights
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Not considered
- Case Reports
Article types accepted17, with length limits
- case reportOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- case reportsCase Reports will not be considered for publication.Length not stated
- case studyOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- letterOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- letters to the editorOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- original researchOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- original research paperOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- original research papersOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal.Length not stated
- perspectiveOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- perspective articlesPerspective articles present a viewpoint on a specific research area.Length not stated
- reviewOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- review articleOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- review articlesReview Articles cover subjects falling within the scope of the journal which are of active current interest. They may be spontaneously submitted or invited.Length not stated
- short communicationOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- short communicationsShort communications are a concise but complete description of a research study. This format is especially suitable for studies with straightforward methods and…Length not stated
- systematic reviewOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
- viewpointOriginal Research Papers report the results of original research on topics that are within the scope of the journal. Review Articles cover subjects falling with…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Biweekly
- Founded
- 1984
- ISSN
- 0168-1591
- Electronic ISSN
- 1872-9045
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Applied Animal Behaviour Science
What CAS zone is Applied Animal Behaviour Science in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Applied Animal Behaviour Science is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science / Veterinary Sciences / Behavioral Sciences. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Applied Animal Behaviour Science?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.61; CiteScore 4, h-index 183.
How long does peer review take at Applied Animal Behaviour Science?
The publisher reports about 103 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 6–16 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Applied Animal Behaviour Science?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 400 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Author–date; Highlights: Optional; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Applied Animal Behaviour Science based?
Of the 44 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (11), Italy (7) and Australia (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Applied Animal Behaviour Science?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Applied Animal Behaviour Science is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Applied Animal Behaviour Science open access, and what is the APC?
Applied Animal Behaviour Science is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,220.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .