“Finding the Balance” Student Organizer Answer Key

	What are the most desirable cattle traits for you?	Will you crossbreed some or all of your Ankoles with Holsteins? Why?	If you do crossbreed, will you stop at one generation of hybridization (i.e. breeding your hybrids to other hybrids), or continue cross-breeding to erase or amplify certain traits?  Why?	What are the compromises of your plan? What does it risk?	
Nomadic cattle herders	Hardiness, ability to survive in open grassland.	Probably not. The Ankole is already naturally selected to the nomadic life and environment.	Might cross breed for one generation to get some of the Holstein’s productive traits without losing the Ankole’s naturally adaptive traits. 	This plan assumes a traditional life; many nomads may want a more settled, modern life.	
Settled dairy farmers	Milk production.	Almost definitely. Holstein hybrids produce far more milk, and are thus more lucrative.	Would probably cross-breed with pure Holsteins for multiple generations to get the most productive dairy cow possible.   	A percentage of a dairy farmer’s “milk money” will need to go to special feed and imported medicines to keep Holstein hybrids healthy. 	
Settled cattle ranchers 	Meat production.	Probably. Ankole meat is higher quality, but Ankoles require vast and expensive ranches.	Might cross-breed enough generations to create Ankole hybrids which can live on smaller ranches.	Cross-bred, pen-raised  cattle won’t have the marketing appeal of “free range” Ankole

Wealthy large-scale ranchers  	Tradition, beauty. 	Probably not. The Ankole is a symbol of status and national culture. 	To cross-breed an Ankole is to “pollute” it.	Breeding Ankole might not be as profitable, and one can never have too much money.