How many animal units does Smith CAD expect on 20 acres of native or wooded pasture?

Smith CAD’s native/wooded-pasture rate is 1 animal unit per 10 acres. A 20-acre tract therefore supports 20 ÷ 10 = 2 animal units, which matches the published minimum of 2 animal units; because the tract is under 20 acres only at lower acreage, supplemental-feeding evidence is required for a smaller tract.

How many cattle animal units fit on 15 acres of improved pasture in Smith County?

Smith CAD lists 1 head, or 1 animal unit, per 5 acres of improved pasture. Fifteen acres ÷ 5 acres per animal unit = 3 animal units. The document also says grazing acreage under 10 acres must show the ability to provide supplemental feeding.

Can a 4-acre tract receive Smith County 1-d-1 agricultural appraisal?

No. Smith CAD states that any total acreage under 5 acres will not be eligible for a 1-d-1 Agricultural Open Space Appraisal. Its cropland guideline also recommends a 5-acre minimum.

What does Smith County require for wildlife-management use?

The land must previously have qualified as open-space land or timberland, then be actively used for wildlife management. Smith CAD states that the land must be used in at least 3 of 7 specific wildlife-management ways.

Smith County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)

Last verified 2026-07-12 · Source: Smith County Appraisal District official guidelines

Smith County is in East Texas around Tyler, between the Dallas–Fort Worth region and the Piney Woods, where cattle and other livestock, improved pasture, cropland, timber, and apiaries are recognized agricultural uses. Smith CAD’s published guidelines are particularly useful for small and mixed pasture operations because they distinguish native or wooded pasture from improved pasture, state a two-animal-unit minimum, and set supplemental-feeding expectations for smaller grazing tracts.

Min. Acreage

5 ac

History Requirement

Land must have been devoted principally to agricultural use for five of the preceding seven years preceding the year when an application is filed.

Application Window

January 1 – April 30

CAD Phone

903-510-8600

Grazing Intensity Standards

Pasture Type	Acres per Animal Unit	Confidence
native/wooded pasture	10 acres / AU	✓ Verified
improved pasture	5 acres / AU	✓ 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
cows/bulls over 2 years	1	County-published
calves under 2 years	0.8	County-published
sheep/goats	0.15	County-published
alpaca	0.15	County-published
llama	0.5	County-published
equine over 2 years	1	County-published
equine under 2 years	0.8	County-published
donkeys	0.5	County-published

Wildlife Management Option

Smith 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.

Using land for wildlife management is an agricultural use, if such land was previously qualified open-space land or timberland and is actively used for wildlife management. Wildlife management land must be used in at least three of seven specific ways to propagate a sustaining breeding, migrating or wintering population of indigenous wild animals for human use.