Old McDonald had a farm, but he probably did not have any llamas or ostriches.

New data from the Census of Agriculture shows that in the last 20 years, Oregon has seen some increase in standard farm animals, such as milk cows and chickens, while the number of farms with unconventional livestock, such as llamas and ostriches, has plummeted.

Michael Lehman is the president of the American Ostrich Association and owns Central Oregon Ostrich with his wife. He says raising ostriches is a tale of a boom and bust that began in the late ‘90s.

“There was a huge, huge push to bring ostrich into the United States as the next big red meat, and unfortunately there was a lot of money behind it. It was a big speculation,” he said. “It failed rather dramatically.”

As reported by the Washington Post, the number of ostriches raised in the U.S. has dropped 83% in the last two decades.

Lehman says that one of the challenges is a lack of understanding for an animal that is not native to the U.S. He says that when farmers tried raising ostriches in ways they did other animals, the end result was a catastrophe.

“Everything blew out the window,” he said. “In order to farm them, you have to farm them as a wild species. You can’t just push them into Western farming practices.”

Beyond just their meat, ostriches were sought after for leather, feathers and even their bones, which can be used as dog treats.

The number of llamas raised in the U.S. has declined similarly — 79% since the early 2000s.

Ron Wilkinson, Central Oregon Llama Association president and owner of R&G Acres, says llamas were first available at game farms and zoos before they took off at the individual farm level. Unfortunately, like ostriches, llamas were a speculative venture at the time.

“People were going to get rich quick with llamas, and over time that didn’t prove to be,” he said. “Some people did, but most did not.”

Unlike ostriches, llamas aren’t harvested as a food source in the U.S. but are mainly used for companionship. They are often used as packing animals for hiking since they are able to carry more than 70 pounds. Wilkinson says their fiber also has some value but faces steep competition with sheep wool.

Wilkinson got interested in llamas when he purchased one to act as a guard animal for his sheep. He says they work great as guards because they’re naturally curious and big animals that intimidate dogs or coyotes.

While the numbers are declining, Wilkinson is hopeful that there is some potential for llamas in the future.

“I think llamas have always been a niche industry,” he said. “Until that fiber market is developed and widespread. I think when that happens, things could change a lot.”

For Lehman, much of his work now is figuring out the best ways to raise ostriches and their hatchlings. He believes that ostriches are the future of sustainable agriculture.

“Consumers are very much in tune with humanity, the humane treatment that is being applied to the animals,” said Lehman. “To be successful as an ostrich producer, you have to raise them that way.”

Michael Lehman and Ron Wilkinson both joined OPB’s Think Out Loud to discuss llama and ostrich farming. You can listen to the full conversation here: