Carcass Cutting Saws and Equipment for Splitting Pork and Beef Carcasses
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After the internal organs are removed, cattle and pig carcasses are sawn or split lengthwise along the spine, offset to one side of the line of the upper spinous processes so as not to damage the spinal cord.
How are carcasses prepared for splitting?
Carcasses intended for the production of salted bacon are subjected to softening (a preparation process for splitting into two halves with removal of the vertebral column) after scalding and singeing. During softening, the skin is incised and fat and muscle tissue are separated from the spinous processes of the vertebrae on both the right and left sides.
Pig half-carcasses are sawn or split up to the neck section, and the carcasses are divided in half to ease transport and stacking and to make more economical use of space and refrigeration costs. 
What tools are used to split carcasses?
Portable saws are used for lengthwise sawing and for cutting through the rib cage. They can be disc saws or band saws, with a bow or without one, and they vary by drive type — powered by an electric motor or by a pneumatic or hydraulic drive.
The saw models "Minsk-59" and "Moskvichka" are commonly used. The portable saw "Minsk-59" consists of a body fitted with a cover for mounting the working parts and a flange for attaching the electric motor, which drives the crankshaft, the connecting rod, and the crosshead that pulls the saw blade.
Handles for operating the saw are attached to the bow and the body. The saw is suspended from a cable or spring by means of a bracket. The presence of the crankshaft allows the use of a round crosshead with a cylindrical bearing, which is easy to manufacture. As the blade moves to the right it makes the working stroke, and on the return it makes the idle stroke.
The portable saw "Moskvichka" differs from the "Minsk-59" mainly in its transmission mechanism. Here, instead of a crankshaft, a disc with an eccentric pin is used; it pulls the connecting rod attached to a prismatic crosshead, which drives the saw blade.
This system is fairly difficult to manufacture and adjust. In addition, the reciprocating motion of the crosshead makes it essential to include a breather in the design to prevent lubricating oil from being thrown onto the carcass being sawn. 
How is carcass splitting automated?
For automated division of cattle and pig carcasses into half-carcasses, the V2-FSP/4 unit is used, with a capacity of 65 carcasses per hour. Before sawing, the tails are detached from the carcasses between the second and third caudal vertebrae, and a special device feeds the carcasses to the unit; at the same time the hind limbs are automatically spread apart to a distance of up to 1400 mm and fixed in place.
The carcasses are sawn down the middle of the spine into two symmetrical half-carcasses. The saw is aligned precisely along the spine from the outside of the carcass using guides.
During the division of carcasses, the disc saw blade is sprayed with cold water for cooling. The divided carcasses are automatically removed from the sawing work zone by an unloading device. 
The V2-FSP/4 unit for dividing cattle carcasses: 1 – cutting device; 2 – cutter; 3 – feeding device; 4 – electrical cabinet; 5 – air cooler; 6 – control panel.
What does carcass trimming involve?
After sawing, both dry and wet trimming of the carcasses is carried out. During dry trimming, the spinal cord is released, and the kidneys, tails, diaphragm remnants, internal fat, bruised areas of the carcasses, and mechanical contamination are removed.
In pig carcasses, the heads are also detached. In small ruminant carcasses, the kidneys and kidney fat are left in place.
Wet trimming helps to remove both mechanical and microbial contamination from the carcass surface. Washing carcasses is permissible only when the carcass surfaces can be dried in special rooms at a temperature of 0–4 °C. Water for washing is best supplied under pressure. Carcasses can be washed with grass wisps, but these should be changed after each carcass is treated.
