Priority system : Critter Ranching strangness

Abe has had his skills wiped and is now specialized with critter ranching, and it is prioritized as his One True Skill (Highest priority)

No High priority tasks show up in his queue.

He's climbing up the ladder to go dig something.

I save my game, quit, and reload.

Now. Abe wants to groom Hatch, and is wondering why he's digging in the dirt anyway. 

Yet despite being broken out as "highest priority" the numbers show Abe is listing his priority for this as standard (30-ish) .

The priority for the task at the Grooming station however, shows it as (50+)