Alpha-gal syndrome, the tick-borne allergy that makes red meat dangerous for some people, is helping power a resurgence in U.S. ostrich farming as consumers search for safe, beef-like alternatives.
In Danville, Kentucky, nutritionist Brent Williams said he was immediately interested when a friend proposed starting an ostrich operation four years ago. Williams had developed a life-threatening allergy to mammal meat after tick bites, and ostrich, like poultry and seafood, remains safe for people with alpha-gal syndrome.
The red-hued, iron-rich meat from the flightless bird looks and tastes similar to beef, according to Williams, now a partner at Alpha Roost Farms. He said many people with the allergy who try an ostrich burger react emotionally, telling him how much they missed the experience of eating beef.
Alpha Roost Farms is expanding to meet demand. The farm, which recently added a hatchling barn, has more than 400 birds and expects to grow to about 700 next year. Ostriches, native to Africa, are the world’s largest birds, reaching nine feet tall and more than 300 pounds.
Owner W.D. King said interest from people with alpha-gal is a major driver. Some customers who have gone six or seven years without a hamburger are eager to buy. Prices reflect that demand, with ground ostrich often topping $20 per pound and premium cuts selling for more than $40.
At Dry Branch Farm market in Danville, manager Leah Gibbs said customers travel from across Kentucky to buy ostrich cuts from Alpha Roost Farms. Many are thrilled to find a beef alternative that tastes the same, she said.
The Alpha-Gal Association, a nonprofit that supports people with the condition, lists ostrich as a recommended substitute for beef. Large producers say they are ramping up: Texas rancher Boyd Clark plans to boost his roughly 1,200-bird herd by about 50% next year to keep up with interest from restaurants and small retailers nationwide.
Industry veterans say the current growth follows a painful lesson from the 1990s, when a speculative ostrich boom collapsed. Michael Lehman, vice president of the American Ostrich Association and a farmer in Oregon, said some producers once tried to raise ostriches like high-density poultry. That model failed because ostriches require more space and different handling.
Today, only about 10 to 15 farms maintain large herds, and they have a better grasp of the birds’ behavior and free-range needs.
Williams’ own diagnosis came seven years ago, after a severe reaction to a steak sandwich in 2017. An allergist quickly connected the episode to tick bites. The ticks can transmit the alpha-gal sugar molecule, which is present in most mammal meat.
While harmless when eaten by people without the allergy, exposure via a tick’s saliva can trigger the immune system to create antibodies that later react to mammal products, including meat and even fumes from a grill.
Medical understanding of alpha-gal syndrome is relatively recent, with key research linking it to ticks emerging in 2011. A federal report in 2023 estimated about 100,000 people in the U.S. had the allergy, though experts said the true number could be closer to 500,000 as many remain undiagnosed.
Researchers reported the first known death linked to alpha-gal last year, involving a 47-year-old New Jersey man who died in 2024.
Alpha-gal syndrome and ostrich demand
For Williams, avoiding all mammal products has been strict and at times isolating. He said the first time he tried an ostrich steak at home, it was the closest thing to beef he had tasted in years.
The texture and flavor brought back good memories, he said, and offered a welcome change from the limits of cooking poultry.
The Alpha-Gal Association, a nonprofit that supports people with the condition, lists ostrich as a recommended substitute for beef. Large producers say they are ramping up: Texas rancher Boyd Clark plans to boost his roughly 1,200-bird herd by about 50% next year to keep up with interest from restaurants and small retailers nationwide.
