How many cows does Trinity CAD expect on 25 acres?

Trinity CAD's cattle guideline is one cow for every 5 acres on larger tracts. At 25 acres, that works out to 25 ÷ 5 = 5 cows; the guideline also calls for at least five head of mother cows.

How many horses does a 10-acre Trinity County tract support under the guideline?

The guideline says one horse to every 2.5 acres. A 10-acre tract therefore supports 10 ÷ 2.5 = 4 horses, provided it is a breeding operation and meets the other listed conditions.

How many hives are expected on 12.5 acres in Trinity County?

Trinity CAD starts at 6 hives on 5 acres and adds one hive for every additional 2.5 acres. The extra 7.5 acres require 7.5 ÷ 2.5 = 3 additional hives, for 9 hives total.

Can land switch directly to wildlife management in Trinity County?

No. The guidelines require the land to have qualified for 1-d-1 agricultural or timber use in the preceding year. The owner must also use 3 of the 7 approved Texas Parks & Wildlife practices and devote 95% of the land to wildlife management.

Trinity County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)

Last verified 2026-07-13 · Source: Trinity County Appraisal District official guidelines

Trinity County sits in the East Texas Timberlands between Huntsville and Lufkin, with working cattle pasture, hay fields, timber, and small livestock operations throughout its piney-woods landscape. Trinity CAD's guidelines are particularly useful for small-acreage owners because they give livestock-specific grazing expectations, hive counts for bee and honey operations, and several qualifications that remain subject to case-by-case review.

Min. Acreage

0 ac

History Requirement

The owner must have been dedicated principally to agriculture production for any five (5) of the preceding seven (7) years.

Application Window

January 1 – April 30

CAD Phone

936-642-1502

Grazing Intensity Standards

Pasture Type	Acres per Animal Unit	Confidence
Cattle	5 acres / AU	✓ Verified
Horses	2.5 acres / AU	✓ Verified

Beekeeping Intensity Standards

Acreage Range	Base Hives	Extra Hives/Acre (above base)	Confidence
5–20 acres	6	0.4	✓ 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 are statewide default values — confirm with your CAD.

Animal	Animal Units	Source
cow	1	Statewide default
cow calf	1	Statewide default
horse	1	Statewide default
sheep	0.2	Statewide default
goat	0.17	Statewide default
deer	0.2	Statewide default
turkey	0.018	Statewide default
chicken	0.01	Statewide default

Wildlife Management Option

Trinity 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 have qualified for 1-d-1 agricultural or timber use in the preceding year, 95% of the land must be devoted to Wildlife Management, and the owner must have a wildlife plan from Texas Parks & Wildlife and use three of the seven approved practices.