What is the usual minimum tract size for Frio County agricultural appraisal?

Frio CAD says properties under 20 acres generally do not qualify. A 20-acre tract meets that general acreage threshold, but it must still satisfy the applicable agricultural-use and intensity requirements.

How many cows does Frio CAD's cow-calf standard require?

The policy requires a minimum of 3 animal units for a cow-calf operation and assigns a cow or cow/calf pair 1.00 animal unit. The calculation is 3 animal units ÷ 1.00 per pair = 3 cow/calf pairs; the policy also says the carrying capacity is usually not less than 20 acres.

How many nanny goats meet Frio County's published minimum?

Frio CAD identifies 18 grown breeding nannies as the goat-operation minimum. Its equivalency chart assigns a nanny goat 0.167 animal units, so 18 × 0.167 = 3.006 animal units, which meets the stated three-animal-unit standard.

What does a Frio County wildlife-management tract need?

The district recommends a 50-acre parcel. The owner must complete at least 3 of 7 wildlife-management activities, file the conversion application and five-year plan, submit an annual update, and make the property available for requested field review.

Frio County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)

Last verified 2026-07-13 · Source: Frio County Appraisal District official guidelines

⚠ Note: Some data points on this page are marked as discretionary or unverified. Confirm current standards directly with your appraisal district before relying on them.

Frio County is in the South Texas Plains, roughly 55 miles south of San Antonio, with ranchland and irrigated and dry cropland around Pearsall. Frio County Appraisal District's policy is especially useful for its 20-acre general threshold, three-animal-unit livestock floor, and detailed animal-equivalency chart, even though it leaves the final carrying capacity to the tract's soil types.

Min. Acreage

20 ac

History Requirement

According to state law, the land must have been used for any five (5) of the preceding seven (7) years for agricultural production.

Application Window

January 1 – April 30

CAD Phone

830-334-4163

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 or cow calf pair	1	County-published
mature bull	1.25	County-published
weaned calf to 1 year old	0.6	County-published
steer heifer 1 year old	0.7	County-published
horse	1.25	County-published
miniature horse	0.5	County-published
mule or donkey	1.25	County-published
miniature donkey or burro	0.75	County-published
ewes with or without lambs	0.2	County-published
rams or buck sheep	0.25	County-published
lambs weaned to 1 year	0.125	County-published
nanny goats with or without kids	0.167	County-published
billy or buck goats	0.2	County-published
kid goats weaned to 1 year	0.1	County-published
mule deer	0.18	County-published
pronghorn antelope	0.14	County-published
white tailed deer	0.13	County-published
addax	0.34	County-published
aoudad sheep	0.27	County-published
arabian oryx	0.2	County-published
axis deer	0.2	County-published
barasingha swamp deer	0.47	County-published
blackbuck antelope	0.12	County-published
common eland	0.96	County-published
elk	0.92	County-published
emu	0.34	County-published
fallow deer	0.18	County-published
gemsbok oryx	0.54	County-published
greater kudu	0.61	County-published
ibex x boer goat	0.19	County-published
impala	0.18	County-published
llama	0.34	County-published
mouflon barbados sheep	0.16	County-published
nilgai antelope	0.47	County-published
ostrich	0.5	County-published
pere davids deer	0.54	County-published
red deer	0.47	County-published
sable antelope	0.58	County-published
sambar deer	0.54	County-published
scimitar horned oryx	0.54	County-published
sika deer	0.2	County-published
sitatunga	0.27	County-published
thompsons gazelle	0.13	County-published
waterbuck	0.58	County-published

Wildlife Management Option

Frio County allows wildlife management as a qualifying use. Landowners must implement at least 3 of the seven recognized wildlife management practices defined by Texas Parks and Wildlife. An annual wildlife management plan report is required.

The Board of Directors for Frio County Appraisal District recommends a 50-acre minimum land parcel for wildlife management special valuation in Frio County. All properties under wildlife management must submit a valid application (1-d-1) and a Wildlife Management Plan. The Frio County Appraisal District requires wildlife management properties to file an application to convert from agriculture to wildlife management, file a five-year management plan, file an annual update, and be available for a field review when requested. The property owner must perform at least three (3) of the seven (7) wildlife management activities specified by law.