Has Texas data center caused every calf birthed on nearby ranch to be stillborn?

The claim that every calf birthed on a Texas ranch has been stillborn following the construction of a nearby artificial intelligence data center is unproven. The rumor has spread since at least May 2026. It appears to be based on an account shared by Clayton Tucker — the Democratic incoming Texas agriculture commissioner — who described a rancher in the state allegedly experiencing repeated cattle stillbirths after such a facility was built nearby. None of the versions of the story contain enough verifiable details to identify the rancher or the nearby facility. The accounts also differ regarding whether the plant is an AI data center or a battery energy storage system. The Texas Animal Health Commission said via email that it has not received any complaints or reports matching the account and has found no related investigations. It was not possible to find any scientific evidence linking noise or electromagnetic fields from data centers to cattle stillbirths. Snopes has reached out to Tucker — as well as veterinary and scientific experts specializing in cattle reproduction, noise and electromagnetic fields — for more information. We await replies to our inquiries and will update this article if additional information surfaces. Throughout 2026, a claim circulated that every calf birthed on an unnamed Texas ranch has been stillborn following the construction of a nearby artificial intelligence data center. For instance, one popular Instagram post (archived) from October features an image with text that says: A Texas rancher says every calf born on his ranch has been stillborn since a data center was built next door. They will call it anecdotal. A man burying calf after calf does not need a peer-reviewed study to know the building next door changed something. (Instagram user @wonderzofthewild) The caption attributes the story to Clayton Tucker — the Democratic candidate who won the 2026 midterms race to become the next Texas agriculture commissioner — and suggests "noise or vibrations" from the facility could be affecting the cattle. Iterations of the rumor have spread widely on X, Facebook, YouTube, Reddit and TikTok. One Instagram user posted about it in early June 2026 without mentioning any identifying details. Snopes readers also contacted us to ask whether the story is true. In short, it was not possible to find evidence confirming the rumor. None of the posts identify the rancher or the facility, while different versions of the story describe the facility as either a data center or a battery energy storage system. A spokesperson for the Texas Animal Health Commission said via email the agency has not received any reports or complaints about cattle stillbirths near data centers or battery storage facilities. It was also not possible to find evidence that noise or electromagnetic fields from data centers cause cattle stillbirths. Given the above and the lack of verifiable information, we have left this claim unrated. Origin of rumor The source of the claim, and the origin of the story at the heart of it, is unclear. Some of the earliest accounts come from Tucker, though it was not possible to establish when he first heard the alleged story. Tucker discussed the supposed issue in a YouTube video posted on May 18, in which he said a farmer told him they had "not had a new calf in about two years" because of "ultra-low-frequency" noise and vibrations originating from a nearby AI data center. He then told the story during a June 1 meeting of the Bell County Commissioners Court, at a July 7 Lubbock City Council meeting (around 1:33:51) — on that occasion citing numerous farmers — and during an August interview, in which he said a retired man bought a ranch in Fannin County, north of Dallas, but had to sell it for a loss due to a nearby data center causing multiple calf stillbirths. Tucker's descriptions of the facility have, at times, differed. For instance, during an Aug. 24 podcast interview, he described the plant at the center of the story as a battery energy storage system (BESS), rather than an AI data center. Local reporting confirms that a battery energy storage facility was built near Savoy, Fannin County. Meanwhile, reports from March describe plans for a data center in the area, but it was not possible to confirm that one was operating when Tucker began sharing the story. We also could not establish whether either one was the facility Tucker described. Tucker shared posts repeating the allegation on Oct. 17 and Oct. 25. His captions acknowledge that "no veterinarian has confirmed the stillbirths" and that "no study has tied data center noise to livestock deaths," but still suggest data centers are to blame. Separately, in April 2026 testimony (Page 42) to Texas lawmakers, Fannin County resident Cindy Tronzano reported that her cattle stopped grazing near a BESS facility and that her family had moved because of the noise. She did not mention stillbirths and it is unclear whether her account is connected to Tucker's story. Snopes has contacted Tucker seeking more details about the stories he has repeatedly told. We will update this article if we receive a response. A spokesperson for the Texas Animal Health Commission said via email that it has not received any reports or complaints about cattle stillbirths near data centers or battery storage facilities. The agency also said it has not found any investigations matching those circumstances. Potential effects of data center noise on cattle Data centers can produce continuous noise from cooling systems and other equipment, but it was not possible to locate evidence that such noise causes calf stillbirths, like the ones Tucker has discussed. A 2023 scientific review published in "Annals of Animal Science" found that noise can cause stress in cattle and affect their behavior and health. It did not establish a connection between noise and stillbirths. In early September 2026, French news agency Agence France-Presse investigated similar claims about data centers causing health problems and deaths among animals, including cattle and honeybees. Researcher Said Benaissa reportedly told AFP that studies do not support claims that electromagnetic fields from data centers cause cattle stillbirths. He reportedly said some studies have found small changes in fertility cycles and milk production. It should be noted that electromagnetic fields and noise are different things. Therefore, these findings do not directly address the claims about low-frequency noise that social media posts cited. What a September 2026 noise survey found Some social media posts cite a survey that two nonprofit organizations, Quiet Communities and Science for Georgia, published in September 2026. Out of 103 people surveyed near data centers or cryptomining facilities, 83% reported hearing the noise they produce inside their homes. The organizations also note that some equipment can produce noise above 80 decibels. The survey involved a small group and includes no reference to measuring noise at a Texas ranch. Only about 20% of respondents could answer questions about livestock, which was too little data to analyze. Therefore, the survey did not provide evidence linking data center noise to cattle stillbirths. Snopes contacted experts in cattle reproduction, acoustics and electromagnetic fields for comment on the rumor about the calf stillbirths in Texas. We are awaiting their responses. For further reading, we have previously investigated numerous other claims about data centers.