Pigs were removed from a farm in rural Cedar Falls after hundreds die from neglect.

According to The Courier, 38-year-old Nolan Otto Dewall was arrested after 800 pigs died on his farm at 417 S. Butler Road in December.

The report states that Dewall was "hired to raise 2,500 pigs until they reached around 280 pounds." The pigs were dropped off late in December and by December 30, 800 were found dead. A consultant found some didn't have ready access to food and water, and some of the feeders and water dishes were "bone dry." Court records indicate that the animals would have had to be" deprived of food and water for more than 48 hours" to die from the conditions.

Speaking of conditions, it gets worse. Further findings unveiled that temperatures insider the barn was below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Not ideal considering court records show that the newly weened hogs need it to be 80 to 95 degrees to survive, as noted in the report. The Courier report states that some pigs had "frostbite on their ears or ears that were frozen off."
Naturally, the remaining pigs were removed from the farm and transported to another facility. Sadly, 51 died during the move, and "another 60 died in the following days." Upon examination from the Iowa State Univesity Lab, tissue samples from the deceased pigs showed signs of malnutrition and dehydration.
Dewall was charged with one count of livestock neglect, which is a misdemeanor.

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