Four years ago, W.D. King approached his friend Brent Williams with an idea. He wanted to start an ostrich farm. Williams already knew farming. He also saw a chance to make a good living. But he had another reason to care about the idea—a deeply personal motivation.
You might wonder: What makes a man passionate about ostriches?
Williams suffers from a malady called alpha-gal syndrome. It is an allergy which humans sometimes develop after receiving a bite from some species of tick. In some cases, if the tick saliva enters a person’s bloodstream, it can cause a life-threatening reaction to a carbohydrate molecule in the saliva. Many ticks carry the molecule galactose-α-1,3-galactose. Most mammals—such as cows and pigs—do too. The human body that has fought off the alpha-gal carbohydrate from a tick bite may keep that response in the immune system’s memory. It may trigger another, potentially life-threatening response after consumption of most red meats.
Alpha-gal syndrome takes burgers, steak, and other carnivore delights off the menu for the sufferer. But ostrich meat is different. It looks and tastes much like beef, but it doesn’t contain the molecule that triggers alpha-gal reactions.
Since the first case diagnosed nearly 20 years ago, alpha-gal syndrome has been on the rise. And that means more and more people are now considering ostrich meat as a beef alternative.
Williams has become both a nutritionist and a partner at Alpha Roost Farms in Kentucky. He says some customers almost weep when they try an ostrich burger for the first time. Williams can relate. He says ostrich was the closest thing he had to beef in years.
King owns the farm. He says people who suffer from alpha-gal are contributing to farm sales. Alpha Roost Farms keeps more than 400 birds. By some time in 2027, King and Williams expect to have 700.
Other ostrich farms across the country are also expanding. Boyd Clark runs a large ostrich farm in Texas with about 1,200 birds. He plans to increase his herd by 50% next year. Clark has raised ostriches for over 40 years. He agrees that demand is growing.
People with alpha-gal syndrome are willing to pay. A pound of ground ostrich can cost more than $20, and choice cuts can sell for more than $40. Even so, people drive from all over Kentucky to purchase ostrich meat from Alpha Roost Farms.
When lots of people want something that is hard to find, businesses can charge more for it. This concept is called supply and demand. The greater the demand, the greater the pressure on the supply. When the supply is in high demand, it has higher value. Raising prices helps lower demand so that markets can keep up. That’s a basic economic principle.
But also consider the value of seeing a need and filling a need—blessing others and making a living in the process. That’s what King did when he first approached his friend Williams about starting the ostrich farm.
Your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. — 2 Corinthians 8:14
Why? Diligent work serves others and contributes to human thriving.
Recommended Reading: For more about ostriches, read Long Road to the Circus by Betsy Bird.
