No, they say "Rip that removed in half" prior to splitting a mother pig in half. The article points out that piglets are fed other chopped up piglets and feces and.

The workers are recorded as saying things like "I needed that", indicating that beating these animals is not just a necessity, but inherently pleasurable to them.

I dont think a person who makes such statements and those that are willing to laugh/nod in agreement at such sentiments are in a healthy mindset. Those kinds of statements in that context indicate these are people who get pleasure out of torturing and killing living beings. I disagree that this is a huge leap. Given enough time in dehumanizing conditions like that, every animal becomes just a hunk of flesh, rather than a being with complex feelings and experiences.

And I'm not naive enough to believe that this kind of work doesn't attract particularly sadistic people.

I suggest you read the article:

https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/23817808/pig-farm-investigation-feedback-immunity-feces-intestines