Kleberg County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Kleberg County sits on the South Texas coastal plain, just south of Corpus Christi and centered on Kingsville. Kleberg CAD identifies cattle grazing as its most common agricultural operation, alongside dryland sorghum and cotton, improved-pasture hay, and beekeeping; its published standards are especially useful because they pair operation-specific acreage thresholds with a three-animal-unit herd-size test.
Beekeeping Intensity Standards
| Acreage Range | Base Hives | Extra Hives/Acre (above base) | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–20 acres | 6 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| bull | 1.3 | County-published |
| mature cow | 1 | County-published |
| heifer steer | 1 | County-published |
| weaner calf | 0.6 | County-published |
| ram | 0.26 | County-published |
| ewe | 0.2 | County-published |
| lamb | 0.12 | County-published |
| buck goat | 0.2166666667 | County-published |
| doe goat | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| kid goat miniature | 0.1 | County-published |
| mare stallion over 4 | 1 | County-published |
| filly colt under 4 | 1 | County-published |
| yearling horse miniature 1 2 | 0.78 | County-published |
| whitetail deer | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| emu | 0.3333333333 | County-published |
| antelope | 0.1111111111 | County-published |
| ostrich | 0.5 | County-published |
Wildlife Management Option
Kleberg 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.
The tract must be appraised as qualified open space land (1-D-1), its primary use must be wildlife management, and it must be actively managed through implementation of a wildlife management plan. The landowner is actively implementing at least 3 of the 7 wildlife management practices. New or reduced tracts must generally contain at least 50 acres, or 20 acres in a wildlife management property association or qualifying Texas Parks and Wildlife habitat area.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- Wildlife management plan, if applying for wildlife management
- Breeding documentation such as registration papers and or veterinarian documentation of insemination, for horse breeding
Discretionary Caveats
"Unique or “fad” agricultural operations will be considered on a case-by-case basis."
"There may be variations of the types of agricultural operations listed or there may be “fad” agricultural operations added when that type of “fad” operation becomes a typical agricultural operation in Kleberg County."
"Grazing intensity standards not found in published document — confirm with CAD."
"The document sets activity-specific minimum acreage (20 acres crops, 5 acres hay, 15 acres horse breeding, 12 acres grazing, and 5–20 acres beekeeping); it does not state one countywide minimum acreage."
Frequently Asked Questions — Kleberg County
- Kleberg CAD’s minimum-acreage chart lists 12 acres for grazing. The district also requires the grazing herd to sustain at least 3 animal units, typically at least 3 cows or 5 calves; it does not publish an acres-per-animal-unit stocking-rate table.
- A 12-acre tract falls in Kleberg CAD’s above-11.00-to-14.00-acre beekeeping band, which requires 10 active hives. The hives must be on the property and active for at least 7 months of the year.
- Kleberg CAD lists 5 adult female sheep as 1 animal unit. Therefore, 5 ewes × 0.2 AU per ewe = 1 animal unit.
- It can meet the acreage rule only if it is in a wildlife management property association or in a qualifying Texas Parks and Wildlife habitat area: those categories require 20 acres. Otherwise, a new or reduced wildlife tract requires 50 acres, and the owner must implement at least 3 of 7 practices under a wildlife management plan.
Kleberg County Appraisal District
- Phone
- 361-595-5775
- Address
- P.O. Box 1027 Kingsville, TX 78363-1027
- Website
- https://kleberg-cad.org/
Other Documented Counties
Learn the Basics
Get a free reminder before Kleberg 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 →