After completing his BSc(Agric) degree in animal production and honours degree in animals breeding at the University of Pretoria, Dr Japie van der Westhuizen went on to earn both master's and doctoral degrees in animal breeding and genetics from the Free State University.
He established the group that initiated national genetic (BLUP) evaluations for farm animals in South Africa at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in 1995. After joining SA Stud Book in 2011, he established units for research and development, genetic merit prediction, and technical advisory services. He is a member of Interbeef's steering committee, which is responsible for international genetic evaluation of beef cattle, a past member of the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) Lactation Working Group, a past chair of ICAR's Beef Recording Working Group, and is an active member of the ICAR Expert Advisory Group responsible for the Certificate of Quality assessments globally, as well as recently completing a second term as an ICAR board member. Dr van der Westhuizen was invited by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to assist in the drafting of global guidelines for animal recording. He is an author or co-author of 23 scientific papers, 53 national and international congress contributions, 16 scientific reports, several semi-scientific and popular articles, six book chapters, and has served as session chair at four international conferences. He has supervised several postgraduate students in animal breeding and genetics, and he is currently an extraordinary lecturer at the University of Pretoria in animal breeding, and honorary Professor at the Central University of Technology. The South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) awarded Japie with a Silver Medal in 2006 for his contribution towards the science of genetic improvement of livestock in South Africa.