Using a dispersion model to calculate ambient odour concentrations, the separation distance between livestock buildings and residential areas is defined by the odour impact criteria using a combination of a pre-selected odour threshold and an exceeding probability. The dynamic Austrian Odour Dispersion Model (AODM), a Gaussian model, is used to calculate the direction-dependent separation distances for several combinations of these two values, which represent the protection level of various land use categories. The calculated direction-dependent separation distances are a function of the prevailing wind velocity and atmospheric stability conditions. At a site in the Austrian North-alpine foreland, the direction-dependent separation distance (calculated on the basis of a two year time series of meteorological data) for pure residential areas (3% exceeding probability over the year for an odour threshold of 1 OU/m3) lies between 99 m (for northerly winds with a probability of less than 3%) and 362 m (for westerly winds with a probability of 34%). For west and east the main wind directions, odour sensation can be expected more often for higher wind velocities and a neutral or stable atmosphere around sunset. Northerly and southerly winds show the typical diurnal variation of a local valley wind system with predominantly northerly daytime up-valley and southerly night-time down-valley winds.