Evaluation of cattle and sheep buildings with their surroundings using 'visual quality assessment' technique

摘要

This study was conducted to assess visual quality of cattle and sheep housings with their surroundings across the seven districts of Izmir province, located in western side of Turkey. A total of 58 animal farms consisting of 31 cattle and 27 sheep farms were investigated After watching the videos of all animal housings with their environs, each sample lasts for approximately 60 seconds, the 250 photos derived from the video scenes were evaluated by an expert group of 30 respondents in one panel. Therespondents were asked to rate visual quality of each photo and its features on a five-point scale in order of district and farm type (cattle or sheep). The results showed that efficiently constructed and managed animal farm buildings in compliance withtheir surroundings were rated higher than the ones that are built on an ad hoc basis as well as irrelevant to their environs. Visual quality scores increased directly with natural landscape features (topographic attributes such as hill and plain, the presence of plant cover) and decreased with the mostly presence of man-made elements (transformer and electric lines, road, water channel, settlement) besides unplanned layout of the buildings and its facilities, proximity to highway and urban/rural settlements, worse manure management.