A study commissioned by the Department of Agriculture showed that if calves exercise and associated with other calves, they will require less medication and gain weight quicker than do those raised in confinement.
it's not about 顺序, D)Because local elections typically involve smaller amounts ...than national elections, the rules that ...
according to D, 'smaller amounts' is compared with 'national elections'. it's confusing, if not totally incorrect.
(E) The rules that govern political contributions are less stringent in local elections than they are in national elections because local elections typically involve smaller amounts of money and present less opportunity for abuse.