SPENCER, Neb. -- Two northeast Nebraska men, who blamed their animal cruelty convictions on the 2019 floods, aren't getting any relief from a higher court. 

The Nebraska Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday to uphold the convictions of brothers Thomas and Carl Schuman of Spencer. 

The two were convicted of multiple counts related to the deaths of dozens of animals on their farm. 

The brothers had argued in court that the animals on their farm were suffering the effects of the bomb cyclone that caused devastating flooding in 2019. They argued in court filings that there was not enough evidence to convict them. 

But the appeals court disagreed, noting that there was testimony at trial that neighbors had witnessed neglected livestock before the flooding. 

Authorities said about 150 dead cows were seized from the brothers' property. 

They were each fined almost $3,000.