Pictures in public communications about livestock farming

Abstract

• Pictures play a dominant role in public discussions about livestock farming and their influence is probably underestimated. • Outdoor access for farm animals acts as a key indicator for the appropriateness of a farming system for the average citizen and is easy to detect on pictures. • Pictures about livestock farming are useful for improving transparency, but the acceptance of contentious systems within the public cannot be increased by showing pictures of farming realities. • In order to achieve an accepted livestock farming in the longrun, there is a need for changing systems, including some kind of outdoor access for animals.