Who was the first person to breed animals for desirable traits?

It's impossible to pinpoint the *first* person to breed animals for desirable traits. Animal domestication, and with it selective breeding, has been happening for thousands of years, long before written records existed.

However, we can point to some early examples:

* Early farmers: Archaeological evidence suggests that humans were already selectively breeding animals like dogs, sheep, and goats for specific traits as early as 10,000 years ago. These early farmers likely focused on traits like docility, milk production, and wool quality.

* Ancient civilizations: The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all engaged in selective breeding for agricultural purposes. They developed specialized breeds of horses for war, cattle for meat and milk, and sheep for wool production.

The practice of selective breeding is so ancient that it's impossible to say who was the first to do it. We can say, however, that it is a practice that has been essential to the development of agriculture and the human relationship with animals.