Livestock Guidelines for Open Space Special Valuation for Bexar County

The typical ranch in Bexar County is engaged in cow/calf operation usually over ten acres in size. The typical ranch has the entire perimeter fenced with at least five strand barb wire or wire mesh and two to three strands of barb wire above the mesh. Other types of livestock operations found in the County include horses, sheep, goats , dairy cows and stocker calves. For other qualifying livestock see special operation guidelines. There are two methods used in Bexar County to determine how many animals are necessary to qualify. Those methods are minimum animal unit method and the stocking ratio method. The minimum animal unit method is typically used on the smaller acreage and the stocking ratio is used on large acreage tracts. 

To qualify a property owner must show that their operation meets the typical ranch described above. Also the operation must meet the intensity level for the size of their operation as outlined by one of the two methods described above. Property owners with a minimum of six and less than ten acres may still qualify if the land is leased as part of an adjoining operation meeting these guidelines.

Open Space Land in Agricultural Use Special Valuation Application

Cropland Guidelines for Open Space Special Valuation for Bexar County

The typical farming operation in Bexar County is engaged in either row/broadcast or hay crop operations. Typically these operations are over twenty acres in size for the row/broadcast crops and over ten acres in size for the hay crops. In Southwest Bexar County their are a number of small truck vegetable farms ranging in sizes over two acres. Orchard/vineyard operations are also found in Bexar County. Cropland typically must show signs of weed and brush control. Typically crops also require fertilization and irrigation of the land in order to produce a crop. 

Orchard operations have some additional guidelines that they have to follow in order meet the intensity requirements. Orchards in the developing stage have tree spacing and tree per acre requirements, while mature orchards have tree size requirements. The following chart outlines those requirements.

Open Space Land in Agricultural Use Special Valuation Application