Travis County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Travis County surrounds Austin and spans the rapidly developing corridor between the Blackland Prairie east of IH 35 and Hill Country terrain to the west. Grazing, hay and other farm uses compete with intense development pressure here, so TCAD's four-animal-unit minimum and its different east/west acreage guidance give small-acreage landowners concrete starting points for evaluating a working operation.
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 | 1 | County-published |
| calf 500 lb | 0.5 | County-published |
| sheep | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| goat | 0.1428571429 | County-published |
| horse | 1 | County-published |
Wildlife Management Option
Travis County allows wildlife management as a qualifying use. Landowners must implement at least 0 of the seven recognized wildlife management practices defined by Texas Parks and Wildlife. An annual wildlife management plan report is required.
The property must currently be qualified and appraised under an Ag valuation. TCAD requires a timely new Application for 1-d-1 (Open Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal and a 5 year TPWD - Wildlife Management Plan (PWD 885-W7000); a property receiving wildlife-management valuation must provide an annual report documenting activities performed each year.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- TPWD - Wildlife Management Plan (PWD 885-W7000), for wildlife management use
Discretionary Caveats
"The minimum requirement for grazing stock is 4 animal units."
"The number of acres needed depends on the agricultural activity of the property."
"Grazing intensity standards not found in published document — confirm with CAD."
"Beekeeping intensity standards not found in published document — confirm with CAD."
Frequently Asked Questions — Travis County
- TCAD requires 4 animal units for grazing stock. That can be 4 mature cows, 8 five-hundred-pound calves, 24 sheep, 28 goats, or a qualifying mix such as 2 cows plus 12 sheep (2 + 12 ÷ 6 = 4 animal units).
- TCAD says its 4-animal-unit grazing requirement generally calls for at least 12 acres east of IH 35 and 20 acres west of IH 35. The same 12-acre east-side and 20-acre west-side guidance applies to dryland farming, irrigated farming, and hay production.
- No. TCAD states that beekeeping requires at least 5 acres and cannot exceed 20 acres, so a 4-acre tract is 1 acre short of the stated minimum. TCAD's current public FAQ does not publish a minimum hive count.
- It must already be under agricultural valuation, then file Form 50-129 with a 5-year TPWD Wildlife Management Plan. Once approved, TCAD requires an annual report documenting the prior year's wildlife-management activities.
Travis Central Appraisal District
- Phone
- 512-834-9317
- csinfo@tcadcentral.org
- Address
- P.O. Box 149012, Austin, TX 78714-9012
- Website
- https://traviscad.org
Nearby Counties
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