After a tick bite left Brent Williams allergic to red meat, he turned to ostrich farming in Kentucky, feeding a growing demand from Americans with the same condition who still crave a burger.
Brent Williams, a nutritionist in Danville, Kentucky, never expected a simple tick bite would change the way he ate, and the way he made a living. Several years ago, Williams developed a severe allergy to red meat, known as alpha-gal syndrome, after being bitten by ticks. The reaction was so intense that he vividly remembers getting sick after eating a steak sandwich on a work trip: “It's been eight years, but I still vividly remember how sick I was.”
Alpha-gal syndrome, triggered by a sugar molecule introduced by tick saliva, has forced thousands of Americans like Williams to abandon beef, pork, and other mammal products. But Williams didn’t just give up burgers, he found a way to bring them back into his life and the lives of others with the same allergy. Four years ago, Williams’s friend W.D. King approached him with an unconventional idea: start an ostrich farm.
Now, Williams is a partner at Alpha Roost Farms in Danville. The farm’s main product is ostrich meat, an alternative that’s safe for people with alpha-gal, but tastes and feels remarkably similar to beef. “The mouth feel, the taste, the texture, it brought me good memories... because there’s only so many ways you can cook a chicken,” Williams said. For those who thought they were done with burgers forever, the experience is emotional. “The people that have alpha-gal that I talked to that have tried an ostrich burger, most of them are almost in tears.”
Demand isn’t limited to Danville. Leah Gibbs, who runs the Dry Branch Farm market, sells ostrich cuts from Alpha Roost and says customers come from all over Kentucky. “We have people that drive here from all over the state to get the ostrich,” she says. “They are elated to have something that’s an alternative to beef. I mean, it tastes exactly like beef.”
Alpha-gal syndrome is no small issue. A 2023 government report cited about 100,000 people in the United States with the allergy, and experts believe the number could be as high as 500,000. The condition has even proved deadly, a 47-year-old man in New Jersey was reported to have died in 2024 from a severe reaction, the first known fatality tied to the allergy.
The Alpha-Gal Association, a nonprofit focused on supporting those with the allergy, now recommends ostrich as a beef substitute that’s both safe and satisfying. As the word spreads, ostrich farmers are seeing an uptick in business. King, owner of Alpha Roost, says, “People who haven’t had a hamburger in six or seven years really want one.”
Alpha Roost Farms has more than 400 ostriches and expects to have 700 by next year. At the market, ground ostrich can sell for over $20 per pound, with premium cuts fetching more than $40. The birds themselves are impressive, standing nine feet tall and weighing over 300 pounds.
The trend isn’t isolated to Kentucky. Boyd Clark, who runs Clark Ostrich Farm in Texas, describes a steady stream of interest from across the country. “We get calls weekly from various restaurants or even small stores in different parts of the country that you wouldn't think would even want to carry ostrich, but they're looking for it because they've got customers wanting it.” Clark’s farm has about 1,200 birds and he expects to boost his herd by 50% next year.
Ostrich farming in America isn’t new. In the 1990s, the industry swelled with people hoping to cash in on what they thought would be “300-pound chickens.” But many early producers misunderstood the complexity and costs, leading to a dramatic crash. Today, according to Michael Lehman, vice president of the American Ostrich Association, only about 10 to 15 large-scale ostrich farms operate in the United States.
For Williams and King, though, the market looks promising. They’ve invested in a new barn for hatching chicks and have plans to expand. The unique appeal of ostrich meat, safe for those with alpha-gal and similar to beef, means they’re serving a customer base that’s both loyal and enthusiastic.
“You just don’t know how bad I missed this,” Williams said, recalling his first taste of an ostrich burger after years of going without. For many with alpha-gal, that first bite is more than a meal; it’s a return to normalcy.
As tick populations spread and more Americans are diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome, the demand for alternatives to traditional red meat is likely to keep rising. Ostrich producers big and small are seeing the impact, with weekly calls from restaurants and customers who never imagined they’d be shopping for ostrich burgers.
For now, the high price of ostrich meat may keep it a specialty product. But as farms like Alpha Roost and Clark Ostrich Farm expand, there’s hope that the supply will grow and prices will stabilize, making life a little easier for the thousands of Americans who never wanted to give up burgers in the first place.
The story of Brent Williams and Alpha Roost Farms is a reminder that American resourcefulness still thrives. When government and big business fail to meet a need, sometimes it’s the small producer who steps in with common sense and a little grit.
