The amount of `tail-chasing` on pig farms is badly interfering with management.

Hands-on work comes naturally to most owners and managers. It is enjoyable, satisfying and includes the instinct of a manager to `know what is going on`. But this leads to the manager`s disproportionate involvement in daily practical tasks and insufficient measuring, planning and thinking. I see it everywhere I go, and it is often at the root of the problem I am asked to come along and solve.

Tail-chasing at pig technician level is often laid at the door of insufficient staff, or not enough capable staff, to fit in mending, maintaining and modifying to the routine workflow – let alone cope with emergencies.

Good staff is difficult to get and sometimes keep. You think you are the only industry with problems over labour quality recruitment and retention? Join the club!

I`ve just been visiting some famous high street and manufacturing names to find out what they do. I`ll give you 12 guesses at what they suggested were the 12 key points – all perfectly suited to our own pigmeat production industry – which I brought home with me and is enabling them to pinch promising school leavers from us.

Some of the answers, which we`ll discuss at a future date, surprised me – as it will you. Meantime, what do you think they told me? I’d love to have your input as people in the front line.