question once the nucleus and mantle tissue is inserted wouldnt it be a good Idea to put a stitch on the incsission to keep the animal from rejecting the nucleus?
This post seemed to create quite a debate revolving around PAIN and Humane practices, ethics...the whole thing. Let's see if I can help settle this debate as a Scientist and Pearl Farmer/Producer and Grafter. RocketBoy: nobody has been offended here. Caitlin has said the truth: this is a forum, a place to share ideas and knowledge. Your questions -placing aside the questions that have a more "commercial" value (such as: producing "non-valuable cultured calcium concretions" or "clam shells") have a certain validity. So, I feel abligated to answer some of your questions.
First, Pearl Oysters, Mussels, Mollusks in general (altough I would set aside all Cephalopods -Octopus and Calamari- aside) don't
FEEL PAIN. This is hard to explain because we think and feel in Human terms...but let us try to place it in context:
These creatures don't have a REAL BRAIN. They don't think (almost like a politician...sorry for the pun, but we are almost in an election year and I am already FED UP!!) and are not conciouss of their existence. They FEEL things: a touch, a gentle probing a deep knife stab...we know because we can see the animal's reaction, but we can't see any intensity (is it worst to be touched than cut?) except in the duration of the stimulus on the animal's tissues (mainly the mantle). Also, they don't have any memory...for us pain can be relieved by remembering, and it is also why we avoid pain. Oysters barely have small nervous ganglions...they are almost like Plants (actually, think of oysters like plants that have a digestive system).
Second, PAIN KILLERS AND STITCHING. We have tried stitching the oysters and saw no real improvement (mortality rates were the same, pearl production remained the same). We used medical grade cyanoacrilate (crazy glue). A friend of mine (H?ctor Acosta Salm?n) stitched his oysters with cat-gut and even inmersed them in Paracetamol (Tylenol)...no differences seen. Doing this adds extra time to the operation itself so it is not good production wise.
Third, STRESS is a Fact of Life. This is the real killer. Asides from bacteria and problems during the seeding operation...stress will kill the oysters and if it doesn't kill them it will help produce a low quality pearl. What causes stress? pollution, extreme water temperatures, salinity changes, human handling, disease, lowered food availability... what doesn't cause any stress: love & relationships, child rearing, inflation, politicians, social status. Once more: they don't have brains.