Why was counting animals important for the government?

Correct answer: To fix grazing tax

Counting animals was important because the tax was connected with the size of a pastoralist’s herd. Pastoralists owned different numbers of cattle, sheep, goats or other animals, and a larger herd could lead to a larger grazing-tax demand. An official count gave the government a basis for assessing and collecting the tax. This also shows how colonial policies turned a traditional livelihood into an activity that was measured and controlled by officials.

Option D is correct because it directly connects animal counting with fixing the amount of grazing tax. The other choices have no sensible relation to government administration: animals were not counted to make them sing, send them to school or take them to the sea. The key reasoning is simple: if tax depends on the number of animals, the government must first know how many animals are present. Therefore D follows.