Kimble County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Kimble County sits on the Edwards Plateau in the western Hill Country, centered on Junction at the confluence of the North and South Llano rivers. Cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and wildlife management are important local uses, and Kimble Central Appraisal District's standards are particularly useful because they pair pasture-specific stocking rates with a four-animal-unit herd-size test and a general 50-acre minimum.
Grazing Intensity Standards
| Pasture Type | Acres per Animal Unit | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cropland Grazing Sorghum Hay | 8 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
| Improved Grasses | 8 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
| Native Pasture (no brush) | 30 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
Beekeeping Intensity Standards
| Acreage Range | Base Hives | Extra Hives/Acre (above base) | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–20 acres | 1 | 0 | ✓ 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 one 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 |
| burro | 0.75 | County-published |
| five ewes with or without lambs | 1 | County-published |
| four rams or buck sheep | 1 | County-published |
| eight lambs weaned to one year | 1 | County-published |
| six nanny goats or does with kids | 1 | County-published |
| five billy or buck goats | 1 | County-published |
| ten kid goats weaned to one year | 1 | County-published |
| six mature mutton goats | 1 | County-published |
| five axis aoudad fallow or mouflon | 1 | County-published |
| nine blackbuck antelope | 1 | County-published |
| seven sika deer | 1 | County-published |
| two point five red deer | 1 | County-published |
| eland | 1 | County-published |
| three emus | 1 | County-published |
| two ostriches | 1 | County-published |
| seven whitetail deer | 1 | County-published |
Wildlife Management Option
Kimble 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.
Wildlife management can only be applied to land already receiving 1-d-1 Open Space Agricultural Valuation. The owner must provide a formal recommendation from a regulatory wildlife biologist (Wildlife Management Plan), implement the recommendations, and actively use the land in at least 3 listed management practices; the manual does not state an annual-report requirement.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- Written lease agreement between the owner and the operator, if applicable
- Receipts for feed or fertilizer, proof of harvest sales, profit/loss statements, or income tax returns, as evidence of use
- Formal recommendation from a regulatory wildlife biologist (Wildlife Management Plan), if applying for wildlife management
Discretionary Caveats
"Unique agricultural operations will be considered on a case by case basis."
"Exceptions to the general rule will be handled on a case by case as determined by the Chief Appraiser."
"These stocking ratios may be adjusted if land type overlap or soil types dictate a modification."
"Native Pasture (with Brush) is published as a range of 1 Animal Unit to 35-40 Acres; the schema does not support a range, so it is preserved here rather than reduced to an invented single value."
"It has been determined that all operations pertaining to grazing of the land including horse breeding operations and wildlife management in Kimble County will have a typical herd size of at least four animal units."
Frequently Asked Questions — Kimble County
- Kimble CAD's native-pasture-without-brush rate is 1 animal unit per 30 acres. One hundred twenty acres ÷ 30 acres per AU = 4 AUs, which meets the district's typical four-AU herd-size test.
- Twelve acres falls in Kimble CAD's 10.1-to-15-acre band, which requires at least 3 hives. Beekeeping is limited to tracts from 5 through 20 acres under the published CAD standard.
- The property must already be receiving 1-d-1 open-space agricultural valuation, provide a formal wildlife-biologist recommendation or wildlife management plan, implement that plan, and actively carry out at least 3 listed management practices.
- The chart lists improved grasses at 1 animal unit per 8 acres. Four AUs × 8 acres per AU = 32 acres; that stocking level also reaches the district's typical four-AU herd-size test.
Kimble Central Appraisal District
- Phone
- 325-446-3717
- kcad@kimblecad.org
- Address
- P.O. Box 307 Junction, TX 76849-0307
- Website
- https://www.kimblecad.org
Nearby Counties
Learn the Basics
Get a free reminder before Kimble County's next ag exemption deadline
Join the waitlist — we'll email you before the dates that matter, and you'll get first access to the app when it's ready.
Join the waitlistSpotted an error or outdated information? Let us know →