Purebred cows native to Mongolia produce, on average, 400 liters

Question

Purebred cows native to Mongolia produce, on average, 400 liters of milk per year; if Mongolian cattle are crossbred with European breeds, the crossbred cows can produce, on average, 2,700 liters per year. An international agency plans to increase the profitability of Mongolia's dairy sector by encouraging widespread crossbreeding of native Mongolian cattle with European breeds.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the viability of the agency's plan?

(A) Not all European breeds of cattle can be successfully bred with native Mongolian cattle.

(B) Many young Mongolians now regard cattle raising as a low-status occupation because it is less lucrative than other endeavors open to them.

(C) Mongolia's terrain is suitable for grazing native herds but not for growing the fodder needed to keep crossbred animals healthy.

(D) Cowhide and leather products, not milk, make up the bulk of Mongolia's animal product exports to Europe.

(E) Many European breeds of cattle attain average milk production levels exceeding 2,700 liters.

sobby · Answer

Will go with C -- weaken the argument pointing that it is very difficult to keep cross bred cattle healthy , situation that will lead to low productivity.

srignz · Answer

I go with "C". Base: if Mongolian terrain not suitable for crossbreeds, whats the point of going for it!

pushpitkc · Answer

This argument talks about the agency's plans to increase the profitability of Mongolia's
dairy sector. The agency intends to encourage crossbreeding of the purebred cows with
European breeds to increase the yield of milk from 400 liters/year to 2700 liters/year.

Of the available options,  Option C(Mongolia's terrain is suitable for grazing native herds
but not for growing the fodder needed to keep crossbred animals healthy)  weakens the
conclusion that the profitability may not increase. It weakens the argument by providing
an alternative reasoning for the fall in the yield due to having health issues.

MBAPursuit123 · Answer

Purebred cows native to Mongolia produce, on average, 400 liters of milk per year; if Mongolian cattle are crossbred with European breeds, the crossbred cows can produce, on average, 2,700 liters per year. An international agency plans to increase the profitability of Mongolia's dairy sector by encouraging widespread crossbreeding of native Mongolian cattle with European breeds.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the viability of the agency's plan?

(A) Not all European breeds of cattle can be successfully bred with native Mongolian cattle.
 Just because some cattle breeds cannot be bred with Mongolian cattle, this doesn't mean that all breeds cannot be bred.

(B) Many young Mongolians now regard cattle raising as a low-status occupation because it is less lucrative than other endeavors open to them.
 Out of scope as this is too far removed from the conclude, which calls for higher profitability in Mongolia's dairy sector

(C) Mongolia's terrain is suitable for grazing native herds but not for growing the fodder needed to keep crossbred animals healthy.
 Correct! This successfully attacks the conclusion that profitability will improve with the crossbreeding of Mongolian and European cows. The crossbred cows will not be able to remain healthy enough to produce milk.

(D) Cowhide and leather products, not milk, make up the bulk of Mongolia's animal product exports to Europe.
 Even if so, it's not likely that Europe is Mongolia's only trading partner.

(E) Many European breeds of cattle attain average milk production levels exceeding 2,700 liters.
 While great for European cattle farmers, we are looking for something that casts doubt on why cross breeding will not boost profitability in Mongolia's dairy sector. Thus this is out of scope.

Gladiator59 · Answer

I was confusing between A and C. But Option C clearly weakens the argument proposed in the question.

As far as option A is concerned... as long as some European breeds are able to cross breed with Mongolian cows we should be good.

So IMO C.

AkshdeepS · Answer

Without reading all the answers I marked (A), but found (C) as correct. A bad habit that must be avoided.

sahilhafnia · Answer

Okay... there is a generous thought of increasing profits for the Mongolian dairy owners: crossbreed native cows with European breed cows, so as to increase the production from 400 to 2700 litres. We need to weaken this plan. It essentially means we need to find some defect in the reasoning. May be the agency has not considered all parameters and situations. What if the mixed breed cows do not produce good quality milk, even if they produce more, or what if, the interbreeding induces some other major problem in the cows because of which the sale of milk reduces further, instead of increasing .

Looking at options :

A) This option tells us that only selected cows can be crossbred. But even then, does it actually impact the conclusion ?... I think no because we will be interbreeding only those cows which can be experimented on, is it not. Nowhere it is said that the population of these specific cows is too low etc. Incorrect choice.

B) If the situation is such that people are diverting their attention from dairy to other occupations, the interbreeding gives a reason to bring that attention back. But how does this knowledge help prove that the interbreeding will not be profitable as planned. Nowhere we get that link or relation . Incorrect choice.

C) This option tells us about one factor which could come in the way of profitability and the success of the plan. If the land from grazing is not good enough and the animals will not keep healthy, it will become difficult to produce good quality or healthy milk. A possible correct choice.

D) Other cow products form much of the exports of Mongolia. But how does it testify or make us believe that dairy will not sell if it is produced more. May be the domestic consumption will increase. This choice doesn't impact the conclusion. Incorrect.

E) Our focus should be on the Interbred cows and not how much European cows offer as milk. This knowledge won't be having an impact on the conclusion in anyway. Incorrect choice.

Correct answer choice should be C.

rmahe11 · Answer

GMATNinja  , when we see option D doesnt it weaken ? Argument says to improve the "profitability of Mongolia's dairy sector" . 
Now in D) Cowhide and leather products, not milk, make up the bulk of Mongolia's animal product exports to Europe which basically suggests an alternative reason that Dairy products wont achieve the protibality . It may be other products or so which may or may not be responsible for the profit .

Am i assuming that "Exports is the only way to achieve profitability" and probably dairy has a huge market in domestic so that's why D is incorrect ?

GMATNinja · Answer

You're definitely on the right track.

For a moment, let's assume that (D) is true. Cowhide and leather products make up over half of the animal exports. Well, if you're producing milk more efficiently, you'd still increase profitability, even if milk isn't the main export, wouldn't you?

Add that to your point -- which is correct -- that exports aren't the only way to increase profits, and (D) doesn't really weaken anything.

I hope that helps clarify things!

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Purebred cows native to Mongolia produce, on average, 400 liters

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Purebred cows native to Mongolia produce, on average, 400 liters

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