Although fresh oats and corn are the most nutritious foods for cattle, historically, cattle ranchers have minimized purchases of these grains in order to minimize costs due to spoilage. This year, however, fresh oats and corn have become the best-selling food for cattle -- a clear sign that cattle ranchers are putting nutrition ahead of concerns about costs due to spoilage.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?


Last year, processed cattle feed outsold fresh oats and corn by a wide margin.

No cattle ranchers have reported in surveys that they are attempting to purchase more nutritious fodder for their herds.

Higher temperatures and increased rain this year have led to quicker spoilage of fresh oats and corn than in previous years when fresh oats and corn sold poorly to cattle ranchers.

Because of crop failures, all types of cattle fodder -- including fresh oats and corn, processed cattle feed, and frozen nutritional supplements -- were more expensive this year than in previous years.

Because of agricultural innovations, fresh oats and corn spoil much less quickly than in previous years, while costs for such fodder have remained constant.