Farming With Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Jul 11

Did you know that my family raises beef cattle even though I have Alpha-Gal Syndrome? What a crazy twist of events!

Cattle farming with Alpha-Gal Syndrome may seem out of the question, but it’s more common that you would expect. There are many of us that farm with Alpha-Gal Syndrome.

So how do I manage being around cows, having a freezer full of beef, and living with Alpha-Gal? Navigating life as a cattle farmer with AGS is actually not too difficult. It just took some adjustment.

If you’re thinking about farming despite your Alpha-Gal Syndrome, I would encourage you to be open to the possibility. Read on and see if this is the right direction for you!

Me and the Cows

Thankfully, I am not fume reactive. That would be really difficult for me, because I love my critters, whether they be my dogs, cat, or my cows.

Generally, I don’t have to handle the cows very often because my children and husband do most of the animal-related farming chores. I help fill water tanks and occasionally I feed the cows. Every once in a while, I help my husband doctor the steers. If my help with doctoring is required, I’m sure to wear work gloves. Since this activity requires me to be in the tall grass, I wear lots of bug spray and tick-proof clothing: work boots, long socks, and long pants tucked into my socks. I wear a long-sleeve jacket or a long-sleeve shirt, and top it off with a hat.

Tips for Farming With Alpha-Gal:

wear gloves
wear protective clothing
use bug spray or tick deterrents

As long as you take precautions and are not fume reactive, you can probably still safely interact with your animals on a regular basis. When we first get new cows from the dairy, and they are all cute and friendly, I put on my protective garb and go out into the pastures to pet and love them. The calves are just so stinking cute that I can not help myself!

I’m kind of a sucker for all furry babies (except for a baby skunk).

The Business Side of Farming

While my Alpha-Gal Syndrome does make farming a little bit harder for me, there is still plenty that I can help out with. The business side of farming takes a lot of work, and I can manage the business aspect without coming into contact with the meat.

My main job is advertising and managing our local beef sales. This does require that I touch the sealed pouches of meat as I bag and sort for our customers, but I’m just touching plastic pouches and not the actual meat. The meat is frozen solid, so there’s little chance of the animal fluids seeping out and onto my skin.

Otherwise, my farm-related activity is mostly related to the financial end of farming and record keeping. This way, I avoid working with the beef itself and leave that to the rest of my family.

Cooking Beef With Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Since I am not fume reactive, I am able to cook beef for my family. However, out of an abundance of caution, I always crack the window if I’m cooking beef. I also wear plastic gloves or baggies on my hands when I need to touch the raw mammal meat.

Our beef consumption has been drastically reduced because of my Alpha-Gal Syndrome, but my family does still eat some. If I choose to cook beef for them, I usually cook something similar for myself but with Emu, duck, chicken, or turkey, depending on what dish I’m feeding my family.

Our family menu is pretty steady, so if I cook something like spaghetti or chili with beef for my husband and children, then I cook a mammal-free version for myself. There is usually plenty of my Alpha-Gal safe food left over. I put my safe version leftovers in the freezer in individual serving sizes for the next time we eat that meal.

The most nerve-racking issue is definitely making sure I don’t use a plastic container for my leftovers that has previously been used for an unsafe leftover. I try to mark things accordingly, especially if the container is plastic. I’m not nearly as worried about glass containers. They clean up much easier than plastic!

Farming With Alpha-Gal Is Still Living the Dream

Overall, I still believe I’m living the country life dream. We live on 22 acres in the middle of central North Carolina. Approximately half our land is wooded, and the other half has our home and the pastures. We have privacy and get to enjoy the beauty-filled world God created for us.

I relish time on my front porch with all the sights and sounds of nature. I’m not afraid to walk around the yard and driveway. However, I do refrain from the joys of lying on a blanket in the yard to read or relax. Last time I did that, I ended up with another tick bite. I appreciate the woods and creek too, but the enjoyment of long walks in the woods or romps along the creek with my dogs is saved mostly for the cooler weather when ticks aren’t as prevalent.

Farming and Alpha-Gal Syndrome seem contradictory, but the pair can actually be navigated well with a positive mind set and the correct protective wear.

Lori Miller