Department of Animal Science
Date of this Version
January 2008
Abstract
Multiple assessments of ambient odor were made by trained individuals around a swine finishing operation in eastern Nebraska. Assessor responses were analyzed to determine relationships between field odor measurements/ ratings and ratings of annoyance potential, and to identify candidate measurement threshold values for causing annoyance. The likelihood of annoyance increased as odors became more offensive, intense, and concentrated, with r2 values of 0.89, 0.81, and 0.64, respectively. Candidate thresholds were sought to delineate both “any degree of stated annoyance" and "consequential annoyance," defined as likely causing a change in behavior or activity level and instilling some memory of the odor event. Candidate thresholds for any stated annoyance and consequential annoyance, respectively, were: 1 and 2 for intensity (on a 0-5 scale); 2 and 7 dilutions to threshold for odor concentration (as measured using a mask scentometer); and -1 and -2 for Hedonic tone (on a +4 to -4 scale).
Comments
Published in 2008 Nebraska Swine Report. Prepared by the staff in Animal Science and cooperating Departments for use in Extension, Teaching, and Research programs. Copyright © 2007 by The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Web site: http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/swine/pigpdf.htm