Ostriches gather round a camera at Peniel Ostrich Farm in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, in a file photo from 2014. Ostrich meat is being used as a beef substitute by people who have been rendered allergic to mammal meat by tick bites. (Aizar Raldes – AFP / Getty Images)
By Johnathan Jones September 9, 2026 at 4:34pm
A Kentucky farm is raising ostriches as an alternative to red meat, including for people who cannot eat beef, pork, or other mammal meat due to a tick-borne allergy.
Alpha Roost Farms has about 400 ostriches roaming its pastures in the community of Danville. The farm says its goal is to provide a red meat alternative while helping keep family farmland in production.
The idea started with Brent Williams, a co-founder who has the tick-borne allergy Alpha-gal syndrome, which can make eating red meat dangerous and potentially fatal.
Alpha-gal syndrome happens after a tick bite exposes the body to the alpha-gal molecule, which some immune systems can interpret as a threat.
People with the syndrome can have allergic reactions after eating mammal meat or being exposed to products containing alpha-gal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says more than 110,000 suspected cases were identified from 2010 through 2022.
It estimates that as many as 450,000 people may be affected nationwide.
Would you be willing to try ostrich as a beef substitute?
Most U.S. cases have been reported in the South, East, and Central states, where Lone Star ticks are common.
Williams met co-founder W.D. King, and the two went into business together, he told People magazine.
He described the ostrich meat they sell as landing somewhere between poultry and beef, and it has soared in popularity:
The farm markets ostrich as lean, high-protein meat with a flavor People described as “similar to steak.”
Its website says ostrich offers the rich flavor people want from steak while remaining naturally lean and high in protein.
King, who raised cattle previously, told People, “Ostrich meat’s great.”
He added that one caveat of the meat is that it can become tough if overcooked.
The farm mainly sells through local retailers, and the owners also enjoy selling directly to customers. Alpha Roost Farms also promotes its meat on Facebook as “crave-worthy ostrich meat” raised with a focus on nutrition.
The farm regularly lets the public try the product by serving ostrich burgers at events, according to its Facebook page.
The operation plans to grow.
King said the farm could have as many as 700 of the large, flightless birds next year and eventually double again if demand grows.
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Johnathan Jones is a journalist, novelist, and media analyst with experience as a reporter, editor, and producer across radio, television, and digital platforms. Follow him on X: @misterjkjones
