Hutwan Syarifuddin, Muhammad Afdal, Yurleni Yurleni, Yudha Gusti Wibowo
This study analyzed methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission characteristics in smallholder beef cattle production systems in Muaro Jambi Regency, Indonesia, using the IPCC Tier 2 framework and prioritized mitigation strategies using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Primary data were collected from 150 smallholder farmers in three villages, Pudak, Tangkit, and Kademangan. The dataset included greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration monitoring conducted in cattle housing environments using an MQ-4 sensor for CH4 detection, feed composition analysis, livestock production data, and observations of manure management practices. The monitoring results revealed spatial variation in GHG concentrations among locations, with higher concentration levels generally observed in farms with larger herd sizes, lower-quality forage, and limited manure handling practices. Feed analysis showed that farmers relied primarily on kumpai grass, which contained relatively low crude protein levels in several locations, indicating reduced feed digestibility and inefficient nitrogen utilization. These conditions are known to influence methane formation during enteric fermentation and nitrous oxide generation during manure decomposition. The emission characteristics were interpreted using the IPCC Tier 2 framework by integrating livestock parameters, feed characteristics, and manure management conditions. To identify practical mitigation options, an AHP framework was applied to evaluate three main factors: livestock production, feed and environment, and manure management. Pairwise comparison and consistency testing produced a Consistency Ratio (CR) of 0.06, indicating acceptable consistency. The prioritization results showed that improving feed quality was the most important mitigation strategy with a weight of 0.55, followed by real-time livestock monitoring with a weight of 0.24 and IoT-based manure utilization with a weight of 0.21. The combined analytical framework provides a structured approach for identifying practical strategies to reduce GHG impacts and improve sustainability in smallholder cattle production systems. ©2026 The authors.
Animal Science Study Program, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Jambi University, Jambi, 36361, Indonesia; Sustainable Mining and Environmental Research Group, Department of Mining Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Lampung, 35365, Indonesia