Milt,

About $10 in "Chinatown" (the only place I've seen a GOOD block for sale). The heavy cleavers are about $20 each.

I don't oil the blocks, but you do have to re-soak them overnight once a month or so to keep the cracks closed up. Otherwise all kinds of crud gets down in them.

Jason, thanks. I'll look for one.

DAVE AFTER A WHILE (2 MONTHS) I PUT MY GSD PUPPY ON WHOLE FOOD NO GRINDING AND IT WORKED OUT FINE LESS TROUBLE AND EASY TO STORE

Milt--

The grinder is working out fine. I've not only bolted it down, but rigged it so I'm standing on what it's bolted to. I've also learned to pace the input--if I stuff it even veggies become hard to grind. But even so, I figure give me a year or so and I'll be able to rip my opponent's arm off! <g>

The ostrich grower is checking with his processor to see if they're willing to chop up 40# of ostrich neck at a time using some sort of spinning blade monstrosity rather than a grinder. None of the meat locker/processors are willing to grind up things with bones in them, except maybe chicken backs, and that I can do myself.

I'm also making my own "ostrich hamburger" now--it's leaner than the best ground sirloin, and costs only $1.65/pound. The cleaver (thanks!) will undoubtedly serve for cutting up the necks for my own food: cooked like oxtails they make a great soup. But it would be too much work for dog food.

And I'm still feeding whole chicken backs and turkey necks a couple of times a week. I decided not to do so with ostrich necks, since there are 1-2" bony spikes on the vertebrae that look quite dangerous, and they are rather hard.