An Iowa man is facing multiple animal cruelty charges after authorities removed 61 horses from his Bremer County property.

Bremer County Sheriff Dan Pickett said department personnel followed up on a complaint about the condition of horses on Steven Frahm's property in Sumner in November 2013.

“At that time, I don't think the situation was nearly as extreme as it became,” he said.

Thereafter, sheriff's department personnel and a veterinarian worked with Frahm to improve the horses' conditions. But on April 22 the sheriff's department removed 61 horses from Frahm's property; of those, six were euthanized due to their condition, Pickett said. Of the live horses removed, those in worst condition were placed with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa; the remaining live horses were placed at an undisclosed location, Pickett said