How many animal units does Denton CAD expect on improved pasture?

DCAD publishes a typical improved-pasture rate of 1 animal unit per 3–5 acres and requires at least 2 animal units on pasture for most of 183 days. Two animal units therefore correspond to about 6–10 acres of improved pasture.

How much native pasture is typical for Denton County's two-animal-unit minimum?

At DCAD’s published native-pasture rate of 1 animal unit per 4–6 acres, 2 animal units need about 8–12 acres. The district separately says those animals must be run on pasture for the majority of the year, or 183 days.

How many bee colonies are needed on 15 acres in Denton County?

The standard starts with 6 colonies and adds 1 colony for every 2.5 acres. A 15-acre tract is 10 acres above the 5-acre base, so 10 ÷ 2.5 = 4 additional colonies, or 10 colonies total.

What does Denton CAD publish for hay production?

DCAD lists 5 acres and 15,000–25,000 pounds in a typical year. It also describes typical production as 1–3 cuts per year at 2,000–3,000 pounds per acre per cutting.

Denton County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)

Last verified 2026-07-12 · Source: Denton Central Appraisal District official guidelines

Denton County lies immediately north of Dallas–Fort Worth, where rapid suburban growth meets the Cross Timbers and Blackland Prairie farm country. Cattle and horse breeding, hay, crops, orchards, vineyards, and beekeeping remain recognized uses; DCAD’s published two-animal-unit and pasture-specific benchmarks are particularly useful for small rural tracts under development pressure.

Min. Acreage

3 ac

History Requirement

Land must have been devoted principally to agricultural use for five of the preceding seven years.

Application Window

January 1 – April 30

CAD Phone

940-349-3800

Grazing Intensity Standards

Pasture Type	Acres per Animal Unit	Confidence
improved pasture	3 acres / AU	✓ Verified
native pasture	4 acres / AU	✓ Verified

Beekeeping Intensity Standards

Acreage Range	Base Hives	Extra Hives/Acre (above base)	Confidence
5–20 acres	6	0.4	✓ Verified

Animal Unit Equivalencies

An animal unit (AU) is a standardized measure used to compare livestock of different sizes. One AU = one 1,000-lb cow. Your total stocking rate is calculated in AUs, then multiplied by the acres-per-AU standard for your pasture type. These values are published by the county.

Animal	Animal Units	Source
cow	1	County-published
cow calf	1.5	County-published
calf	0.5	County-published
bull	1.5	County-published
horse	0.8	County-published
mini horse donkey	0.5	County-published
goat	0.2	County-published
sheep	0.2	County-published
exotics per 1000 lb	1	County-published

Wildlife Management Option

Denton County allows wildlife management as a qualifying use. Landowners must implement at least 0 of the seven recognized wildlife management practices defined by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Wildlife Management 14.50 ACRES. Wildlife-management practice, plan, and annual-report requirements are not stated in the published standards document — confirm with CAD.

Required Documents

Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal

Discretionary Caveats

⚠ Not a fixed rule — confirm with the CAD.

"While there is no minimum acreage for Ag valuation, there is a standard for degree of intensity stated in TX Tax Code 23.51(1) "'Qualified Open-Space land' means land that is currently devoted principally to agricultural use to the degree of intensity generally accepted in the area.""

⚠ Not a fixed rule — confirm with the CAD.

"DCAD requires a minimum of 2 animal units to be run on pasture land for the majority (183 days) of the year."

⚠ Not a fixed rule — confirm with the CAD.

"Grazing standards are published as ranges: 1 AU per 3 - 5 acres improved or 1 AU per 4 - 6 acres native pasture."

⚠ Not a fixed rule — confirm with the CAD.

"Wildlife-management practice, plan, and annual-report requirements not stated in published document — confirm with CAD."

Frequently Asked Questions — Denton County

: DCAD publishes a typical improved-pasture rate of 1 animal unit per 3–5 acres and requires at least 2 animal units on pasture for most of 183 days. Two animal units therefore correspond to about 6–10 acres of improved pasture.
: At DCAD’s published native-pasture rate of 1 animal unit per 4–6 acres, 2 animal units need about 8–12 acres. The district separately says those animals must be run on pasture for the majority of the year, or 183 days.
: The standard starts with 6 colonies and adds 1 colony for every 2.5 acres. A 15-acre tract is 10 acres above the 5-acre base, so 10 ÷ 2.5 = 4 additional colonies, or 10 colonies total.
: DCAD lists 5 acres and 15,000–25,000 pounds in a typical year. It also describes typical production as 1–3 cuts per year at 2,000–3,000 pounds per acre per cutting.

Denton Central Appraisal District

Phone: 940-349-3800
Email: info@dentoncad.com
Address: 3911 Morse St. Denton, TX 76208-6331
Website: https://www.dentoncad.com

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LandTally is an informational and record-keeping tool. It does not provide tax, legal, or appraisal advice, and is not affiliated with any county appraisal district. Requirements are set by your county and may change — always confirm details with your county appraisal district before acting.

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