Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Retained interest in seedstock bulls: a transaction cost analysis(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2021) Kaiser, Rebecca Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Randal R. RuckerSeedstock cattle producers invest in bulls to introduce high quality genes into their cattle herds. Because the genetic traits bulls pass on to their calves are sometimes unobservable before breeding season, the quality of the bull at the time of the sale is uncertain. Some producers choose to sell bulls with retained semen interest, which grants them rights to the specified percentage of revenues from semen sales from the bull after it has been sold. This thesis examines the practice of retained semen interest in bulls and its effects on sale prices for the bull. After adapting the theory of auctions and share contracts and developing a theory of retained interest, I empirically test my hypotheses that 1) if there is more uncertainty regarding the attributes of the bull, the producer will be more likely to use a retained interest contract, and 2) a retained interest contract increases the value of a bull. I use a logit model to test the first hypothesis and hedonic price model, estimated using OLS, to test the second model. I find evidence to support both predictions, which supports my transaction cost model of contract choice. After controlling for quality, producers are more likely to retain interest in bulls that have greater variation in their quality. Also, bulls that are sold with retained interest earn significant premiums compared to bulls sold with lump sum prices. These results add to the transaction cost and share contract economic literature, as well as inform seedstock producers about the economic costs and benefits of retaining semen interest.Item Breeding ecology of greater sage-grouse in southwestern Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2021) Cutting, Kyle Anthony; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jay J. Rotella and Bok Sowell (co-chair); Jay J. Rotella, Sean R. Schroff, Michael R. Frisina, James A. Waxe, Erika Nunlist and Bok F. Sowell were co-authors of the article, 'Maladaptive nest-site selection by a sagebrush dependent species in a grazing-modified landscape' in the journal 'Journal of environmental management' which is contained within this dissertation.; Jay J. Rotella, Emma Grusing, James A. Waxe, Erika Nunlist and Bok F. Sowell were co-authors of the article, 'Nutrient sources for offspring formation: diet-mother and mother-offspring isotopic discrimination in domesticated gallinaceous birds' submitted to the journal 'Isotopes in environmental and health studies' which is contained within this dissertation.; Jay J. Rotella, James A. Waxe, Aaron O' Harra, Sean R. Schroff, Lorelle Berkeley, Mark Szczypinski, Andrea R. Litt, Bok F. Sowell were co-authors of the article, 'Resource allocation effects on the timing of reproduction in an avian habitat specialist' in the journal 'Ecosphere' which is contained within this dissertation.The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter: sage-grouse) is an umbrella species that needs large intact tracts of sagebrush habitat with habitat requirements that represent the needs of many other species found in the sagebrush biome of the American West. Much of the information collected to date on sage-grouse is from low-elevation, homogenous, landscapes, leaving information gaps for topographically complex, high elevation locations within the sage-grouse range. In this dissertation, I assess the following aspects of the breeding ecology of sage-grouse: 1) how females select nest and brood sites based on sagebrush type, along with livestock grazing features and other biotic and abiotic characteristics; 2) the influence of female nest-site selection on nest-survival outcomes; 3) experimentally derived isotopic discrimination values in domesticated gallinaceous birds as an estimation method for nutrient allocation strategies in wild sage-grouse; and 4) the degree to which females allocated nutrients from winter habitats for formation of offspring by comparing females nesting in southwest vs. central Montana. Based on the research, I found evidence that: 1) sage-grouse avoid a high-elevation sagebrush type that is the most common type in my study region and instead select for intermediate- or low-elevation sagebrush types for both nesting and brood rearing, 2) sage-grouse broods selected sites away from low-lying mesic areas and near ridgelines on upper slopes with south-facing aspects and sites further from cattle paths, 3) nest survival was (a) higher for nests placed away from fence lines, (b) lower in areas with more cow pies and taller dead grass, and (c) higher in areas with increased living grass cover, and 4) females from southwest Montana and in the high-elevation sagebrush type primarily allocated nutrients from winter habitats, whereas females from central Montana and in the low-elevation sagebrush type primarily allocated nutrient sources from spring habitats for offspring formation. My findings highlight a unique breeding strategy for sage-grouse residing in high-elevation sagebrush landscapes. Results described herein will allow managers in southwest Montana, and other regions in the northern Rocky Mountains, to better manage sage-grouse and sage-grouse habitats.Item Frequency of calving in PGF 2alpha estrous synchronized cattle(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1985) Kautz, Robert Jay