Final answer:
While exact numbers are unknown, many animals died during the Dust Bowl due to a lack of feed and severe drought conditions, contributing to widespread livestock loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
The precise number of animals that died during the Dust Bowl is not documented, but it was significant. Livestock deaths were rampant due to a combination of factors, including severe drought, lack of feed, and the resulting dust storms that swept across the Great Plains. The deprivation of vegetation and the barren landscape not only challenged human survival but also meant animals had no fodder, leading to mass starvation or forced sale by farmers who couldn't afford their upkeep.
Moreover, the drought, which began in 1931 and lasted until 1939, turned once-fertile soils into dust. The subsequent windstorms carried away valuable topsoil, further degrading the land and making agricultural recovery nearly impossible. The devastation of farmland ecosystems during this period was so severe that it caused a significant migration of families, including both farmers and non-farmers, seeking better lives elsewhere.