In recent years cattle breeders have increasingly used crossbreeding,in part that their steers should acquire certain characteristics and partly because crossbreeding is said to provide hybrid vigor.

A in part that their steers should acquire certain characteristics
B in part for the acquisition of certain characteristics in their steers
C partly because of their steers acquiring certain characteristics
D partly because certain characteristics should be acquired by their steers
E partly to acquire certain characteristics in their steers

E is the correct answer here. But it sounds weird to me.Here's why - Steers are animals right? Therefore how can breeders acquire ... in their steers? I thought that one can acquire something only for oneself or himself. Is it correct to say that someone acquired something in some other creature?(steer in this case)