A Kentucky Man with a Meat Allergy Was Craving a Burger. So He Got Into Ostrich Farming
Brent Williams says ostrich meat helps meet demand from people with alpha-gal syndrome, which affects about 100,000 Americans, a government report said.
- On August 18, 2026, Brent Williams showcased his ostrich farming operation at Alpha Roost Farms in Danville, Kentucky, turning to ostrich as a safe alternative to mammal meat after developing a life-threatening tick-bite allergy.
- Alpha-Gal syndrome, triggered by tick bites, prevents people from consuming mammal meat due to an immune reaction to sugar molecules. Diagnosed seven years ago, Williams discovered ostrich meat provides a rare, safe beef alternative.
- Leah Gibbs, who runs Dry Branch Farm market in Danville, noted high demand from allergy sufferers seeking beef alternatives. Customers pay more than $20 for ground ostrich and more than $40 for choice cuts.
- Only about 10 to 15 farms operate today with large ostrich herds, according to Michael Lehman, vice president of the American Ostrich Association. Producers now better understand the birds' free-range needs, avoiding previous high-density pitfalls.
- Texas-Based farmer Boyd Clark plans to increase his herd by 50% next year to meet growing national demand for ostrich meat. His Clark Ostrich Farm is among those expanding to accommodate this emerging market.
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Kentucky man with a meat allergy was craving a burger so he got into ostrich farming
DANVILLE, Ky. — When a friend approached Brent Williams four years ago with a business proposition to start an ostrich farm, he was more than intrigued — he had a personal motivation as someone who developed a life-threatening allergy to red meat, triggered by tick bites.
A Kentucky man with a meat allergy was craving a burger. So he got int
In this photo taken with a smartphone, Brent Williams, who suffers from the tick bite allergy known as alpha gal syndrome, pets an ostrich at Alpha Roost Farms in Danville, Ky., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan)
Kentucky man with a meat allergy was craving a burger. So he got into ostrich farming
DANVILLE, Ky. — When a friend approached Brent Williams four years ago with a business proposition to start an ostrich farm, he was more than intrigued — he had a personal motivation as someone who developed a life-threatening allergy to red meat, triggered by tick bites. The problem, known as alpha-gal syndrome, was first linked to a particular species of ticks about 15 years ago. But cases are on the rise as more people report symptoms such as…
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