Kirby Clark, 57, of rural Canton, is charged with one count of animal abuse and 31 counts of failure to properly dispose of dead animals.

The Lewis County man charged with illegally disposing of the carcasses of 32 cattle has a history of animal neglect and a previous arrest on animal abuse charges, according to a copy of court documents obtained Wednesday by KHQA.

Kirby Clark, 57, of rural Canton, is charged with one count of animal abuse and 31 counts of failure to properly dispose of dead animals.

The arrest stems from an investigation that began in March. Sheriffâ??s deputies arrested Clark Tuesday. He posted the $10,000 bond.

The Lewis County Sheriff's Office served a warrant March 21 at Clark's farm and discovered that he dumped the dead cattle in a small pond, and disposed of four other cattle in various locations around the farm.

An affidavit filed in Clarkâ??s case said the sheriffâ??s department received an anonymous tip of several dead cattle in Clarkâ??s pond.

Sheriff David Parrish visited the property March 19 and said that the carcasses were visible from Highway E adjacent to the Clark farm.

The sheriff got a warrant to search Clarkâ??s farm and eventually made contact with the landowner.

Clark told the sheriff that the cattle fell through the ice during a warm day as winter ice began to thaw.

â??He said he hadnâ??t been well and couldnâ??t get in the water to take the cows out,â?? according to Parrishâ??s statement in the affidavit. â??He said he just had a physical. I asked when the cows died and he said, â??More than a week ago.â??â??

Parrish documented several overturned water containers and feed bunks. The only water source appeared to be the pond where the animal carcasses were located. Deputies located a total of 28 dead cattle in the pond. The also discovered another dead cow in a building, a small calf in a field that was torn apart and another that was trampled and later stuffed under a feed container in the pasture, according to the affidavit.

Clark told the investigators that he didnâ??t use a veterinarian, that he did all of the work himself and that he didnâ??t keep any records about his cattle, the affidavit says.

â??It should be noted that Mr. Clark is known to law enforcement because of numerous reports of animal neglect regarding his cattle,â?? Parrish wrote. â??This includes failure to properly feed and water and to properly enclose his cattle. He was previously arrested in Lewis County in 2011 for animal abuse.â??

Details of that previous arrest were not immediately available.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture also assisted in the investigation.