The Tier 1 method requires livestock population data by animal species and climate region (i.e., cool, temperate, warm).

The Tier 2 method requires detailed information on animal characteristics and the manner in which manure is managed. If country specific EF are not available, Tier 2 EF can be estimated from:

• Volatile Solid (VS) excretion rates: CS published sources should be used. Otherwise country-specific VS values may be calculated based on estimated daily average feed intake, digestible energy of the feed, and ash content of the manure;
• Maximum CH₄ producing capacity of the manure (B_o);
• CH₄ conversion factor (MCF) which is a function of the climatic conditions of the region and of the share of manure handling systems.

Note that the default Tier 2 values for MCF contained in the Revised 1996 IPCC guidelines were revised in the IPCC good practice guidance.