Kerr County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Kerr County is in the Texas Hill Country along the Guadalupe River around Kerrville, northwest of San Antonio, where cattle, sheep, goats, equine breeding, exotics, crops, and beekeeping are common agricultural uses. Kerr Central Appraisal District's standards are especially useful because they pair a native-range stocking range and a detailed local animal-unit chart with a small-tract apiary formula and wildlife-management thresholds.
Grazing Intensity Standards
| Pasture Type | Acres per Animal Unit | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| native range | 30 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
Beekeeping Intensity Standards
| Acreage Range | Base Hives | Extra Hives/Acre (above base) | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–20 acres | 5 | 0.2 | ✓ 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 or cow and calf | 1 | County-published |
| mature bull | 1.25 | County-published |
| weaned calf to 1 year | 0.6 | County-published |
| steer one year old | 0.7 | County-published |
| steer two years old | 0.9 | County-published |
| horse | 1.25 | County-published |
| miniature horse | 0.5 | County-published |
| donkey or mule | 1.25 | County-published |
| miniature donkey or burro | 0.75 | County-published |
| bull elk | 0.6 | County-published |
| five ewes | 1 | County-published |
| four rams or buck sheep | 1 | County-published |
| eight lambs weaned to 1 year | 1 | County-published |
| six nanny goats or does | 1 | County-published |
| five billy goats or bucks | 1 | County-published |
| ten kid goats weaned to 1 year | 1 | County-published |
| six mature mutton goats | 1 | County-published |
| five axis or fallow deer | 1 | County-published |
| five aoudad or mouflon sheep | 1 | County-published |
| seven sika deer | 1 | County-published |
| two point five red deer | 1 | County-published |
| three oryx | 1 | County-published |
| eland | 1 | County-published |
| three emus | 1 | County-published |
| two ostriches | 1 | County-published |
| seven white tailed deer | 1 | County-published |
| ten blackbuck antelope | 1 | County-published |
| three llamas | 1 | County-published |
| two mini cattle | 1 | County-published |
Wildlife Management Option
Kerr 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.
Land must currently be under agricultural-use valuation and have been appraised as qualified open-space land when wildlife management began. The owner must actively use the land in at least 3 of 7 listed practices. For property divided the previous year, the minimum is 20 acres for an individual parcel or 12.5 acres for a parcel within a wildlife management cooperative or association; annual reports are expected.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- Copy of the lease, if a written lease is used
- Letter from the lessee stating the kind of agricultural use, the number of livestock run on the property or acres planted, and duration of the lease, if an oral agreement is in place
- Annual Reports, if applying for wildlife management
Discretionary Caveats
"Unique or other operations will be considered on a case-by-case basis."
"Variations of the above listed operations and “fad” operations will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the appraisal district."
"Typical requirements in Kerr County include at least two animal units, which may include cows or bulls of breeding age that are bred annually."
"A typical operation in Kerr County would involve a minimum of four stocker or feeder calves."
"A typical operation in Kerr County would consist of at least twelve head of ewes and at least one ram."
"A typical herd of goats includes a minimum of twelve breeding age nannies and at least one mature billy goat."
"At least three head of breeding age mares or jennies are required to be considered a typical breeding operation in Kerr County."
"Minimum acreage not stated in published document — confirm with CAD."
Frequently Asked Questions — Kerr County
- Kerr CAD says native range needs 30–40 acres per animal unit in normal rainfall years and describes cow-calf operations as typically needing at least 2 animal units. Two animal units therefore require about 2 × 30–40 = 60–80 acres of native range.
- Kerr CAD's example starts with 5 hives on the first 5 acres and adds 1 hive for the next 5 acres; the remaining 4.6 acres add none. That is 5 + 1 + 0 = 6 hives.
- No. Kerr CAD sets a 20-acre minimum for an individual parcel divided the previous year, so 15 acres is 5 acres short. A parcel in a wildlife-management cooperative or association has a separate 12.5-acre threshold.
- No. Kerr CAD says a typical field has a 5-acre minimum, so a 4-acre field is 1 acre below that threshold.
Kerr Central Appraisal District
- Phone
- 830-895-5223
- info@kerrcad.org
- Address
- P.O. Box 294387, Kerrville, TX 78029-4387
- Website
- https://www.kerrcad.org
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