For decades, Bon Homme Colony in southeastern South Dakota has relied on Phason technology to help manage barn environments and improve the efficiency of its swine operation.
The agricultural community farms more than 5,300 acres while raising a diverse range of livestock. According to Leonhart Stahl, assistant manager of the colony’s swine department, Phason ventilation controllers have been part of the operation since the 1990s, helping maintain optimal barn conditions for animal health and performance.
As the colony expanded, managing barns located miles from the main farm created new challenges. Stahl said reliable environmental controls and the ability to monitor barns remotely became increasingly important to maintaining consistent conditions for livestock. Previous systems from other manufacturers proved difficult to use and lacked dependable connectivity, prompting the colony to adopt newer technology from Phason.
Today, Bon Homme Colony utilizes Autoflex Connect and Autosort Connect, allowing farm managers to remotely monitor and adjust barn ventilation while improving day-to-day livestock management.
Phason’s Autoflex Connect system features the company’s VentGrid™ ventilation technology, designed to provide smooth transitions between ventilation stages while maintaining stable barn environments. Through remote access, Stahl can monitor and adjust settings directly from his smartphone, even when away from the farm.
The operation also utilizes Autosort Connect, an automated livestock sorting system that weighs hogs, directs animals to the appropriate feeding groups based on weight, tracks growth performance, and helps predict market readiness. According to Phason, the system streamlines sorting while providing producers with additional data to improve management decisions and feeding efficiency.
Stahl says the technology has simplified daily operations while allowing one person to efficiently sort pigs, reducing labor requirements and improving overall productivity. He also credits the support provided by Phason and local dealer Envirotech as an important factor in the continued success of the systems.
After evaluating competing technologies, Stahl said Phason stood apart because of its dependable connectivity, straightforward setup, and ease of use—qualities he believes are essential for today’s livestock producers.
Looking ahead, Bon Homme Colony plans to continue implementing Phason technology as new innovations become available to further improve production efficiency and barn management.
“Phason’s Autoflex Connect and Autosort Connect are easy to love by a farmer because farmers like an easy straightforward set-up and dependable performance!” Stahl said.
Phason says its environmental control and livestock management systems are designed to provide pork producers with reliable ventilation control, remote monitoring capabilities, labor-saving automation, and data-driven decision-making tools that support animal health, operational efficiency, and profitability.