Fueling For Ironman Triathlon With Ostrich Meat!

A journey to South Africa inspired one Idaho native to bring a unique form of meat production back to the United States— ostrich farming!

According to Alex McCoy, “I was living in South Africa working in a totally different industry and I was training for an Ironman Triathlon, and this was my training food. So, one day I was craving red meat and wanted a big piece of beef. So I went into a restaurant in South Africa and instead of beef, there was ostrich on the menu. So, I said, ‘yeah, I’ll take some ostrich’ and this huge ostrich steak, it tasted just like beef. It was amazing. Satisfied by red meat craving. However, I felt great after eating it. I felt so light. In fact, I was like, ‘you know what? I’m just going to go for a run.’ I was training for a huge race at the time. So I went out and ran sixteen miles, like within an hour of eating this massive red meat steak, and from that moment on, I was hooked.”

McCoy says that experience inspired him to learn more about ostrich meat, ultimately leading him to leave his old career behind and work towards bringing ostrich to America!

Related Stories
Sen. Roger Marshall joins us in honor of National Ag Day to share legislative updates, highlight key policy victories, and initiatives supporting farmers and rural communities he is championing in Washington.
Acreage shifts could impact pricing and marketing plans.
Carol Anderson joined us to highlight the importance of rural mental health, introduce a new resilience program, and share resources available to the ag community.
During opening remarks, Rollins emphasized the strength and perseverance of the agricultural community, while teasing that a new policy announcement is expected later this week.
As spring migration ramps up, USDA officials warn farmers about rising bird flu risks and urge stronger biosecurity measures. Resources are available through APHIS to help protect livestock.
Crush demand is supporting soybeans despite biofuel uncertainty.