Kent County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Kent County lies in the Rolling Plains southeast of Lubbock, where cotton and wheat fields share the landscape with cattle, sheep, goat, wildlife, and exotic-animal operations. Kent CAD's standards are particularly useful in this dry region because they distinguish four pasture conditions—from improved grass to poor native range—and give a specific hive formula for smaller beekeeping tracts.
Grazing Intensity Standards
| Pasture Type | Acres per Animal Unit | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Pasture | 20 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
| Good Native Pasture | 30 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
| Average Native Pasture | 35 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
| Poor Native Pasture | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|
| mature cow without calf | 1 | County-published |
| cow with calf | 1.2 | County-published |
| weaned calf to yearling | 0.6 | County-published |
| steer or heifer one to two years | 1 | County-published |
| ewe with or without lambs | 0.2 | County-published |
| ram or buck sheep | 0.25 | County-published |
| lamb weaned to one year | 0.125 | County-published |
| barbado sheep | 0.2 | County-published |
| nanny goat or doe with or without kids | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| kid goat weaned to yearling | 0.1 | County-published |
| billy goat | 0.2 | County-published |
| mature mutton goat | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| miniature horse | 0.5 | County-published |
| burro | 0.75 | County-published |
| whitetail deer | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| mule deer | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| axis deer | 0.2 | County-published |
| fallow deer | 0.2 | County-published |
| sika deer | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| red deer | 0.4 | County-published |
| elk | 1 | County-published |
| pronghorn antelope | 0.1428571429 | County-published |
| blackbuck antelope | 0.1111111111 | County-published |
| eland antelope | 1 | County-published |
| addax antelope | 0.3333333333 | County-published |
| scimitar horned oryx antelope | 0.5 | County-published |
| gemsbok oryx | 0.5 | County-published |
| aoudad sheep | 0.2 | County-published |
| mouflon sheep | 0.2 | County-published |
| alpaca | 0.2 | County-published |
| llama | 0.3333333333 | County-published |
| emu | 0.3333333333 | County-published |
| ostrich | 0.5 | County-published |
Wildlife Management Option
Kent 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.
Wildlife management is available only for land already receiving special agricultural valuation. The owner must engage in three of seven activities to the degree of intensity typical for the area; Kent County is in the Rolling Plains Region. The standards list census counts including an annual update on wildlife management, and an owner changing to wildlife management must notify the chief appraiser in writing before May 1.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- Written notice to the chief appraiser before May 1 of the year in which the owner wants to qualify under wildlife management use, if changing to wildlife management
- Production receipts and a completed questionnaire, if application information does not match the on-site inspection and is insufficient for an eligibility determination
Discretionary Caveats
"Such requests will be reviewed by the Appraisal District staff and approved or denied on a case-by-case basis."
"Properties less than 10 acres will generally not qualify for the special-use valuation."
"The Kent County Appraisal District understands that other exceptions may arise and will evaluate those exceptions on an individual basis."
"Once the application for 1-d-1 is filed and approved, a landowner is not required to file again as long as the land qualifies unless the chief appraiser requests another application to confirm current qualifications."
Frequently Asked Questions — Kent County
- Kent CAD's improved-pasture rate is 1 animal unit per 20 acres. Five animal units therefore require 5 × 20 = 100 acres of improved pasture.
- Average native pasture is rated at 1 animal unit per 35 acres. Dividing 105 acres by 35 acres per animal unit yields 3 animal units.
- Kent CAD starts with 6 hives on the first 5 acres and adds 1 hive for every additional 2.5 acres. The remaining 7.5 acres add 3 hives, so a 12.5-acre tract needs 9 hives.
- The land must already be receiving special agricultural valuation and the owner must carry out 3 of the 7 listed wildlife-management activities to the degree of intensity typical for the area. Kent CAD also lists census counts with an annual wildlife-management update.
Kent County Appraisal District
- Phone
- 806-237-3066
- kentco@caprock-spur.com
- Address
- P.O. Box 68 Jayton, TX 79528-0068
- Website
- https://www.kentcad.org
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