Split the pelvic bone by first locating the seam between the rounds,
then following this seam to the bone and cutting through the bone with
a knife or saw (figs. 41 and 42).
[Illustration: Man splitting hindlegs apart with knife]
Figure 41.—Splitting the pelvic bone with a knife.
[Illustration: Man splitting hindlegs apart with saw]
Figure 42.—Splitting the pelvic bone with a saw.
Hoist the carcass until the front shanks clear the ground by about a
foot. Cut down the midline by inserting the knife handle _inside_
the body cavity with the knife blade extended _outward_ as shown in
figure 43. This procedure ensures that the paunch and intestines are
not cut. Continue cutting down the midline to the cut made when
opening the brisket (figs. 44 and 45). Loosen the large intestines as
shown in figure 46, making sure that the pelvic and kidney fat, as
well as the kidneys, are left attached to the carcass. Pull down on
the paunch and intestines and allow them to fall into a container or
onto the ground. As the paunch falls, a small cut with a knife will
free the liver from the connections to the intestines and paunch (fig.
47). _Do not_ cut the esophagus, which extends through the diaphragm.
The esophagus will be left attached until the lungs are removed.
[Illustration: Hand in body cavity slicing down through belly using
a knife]
Figure 43.—Opening the belly—knife blade outward.
[Illustration: Man slicing down through belly using a knife]
Figure 44.—Opening the belly.
[Illustration: Stomach hanging out from carcass]
Figure 45.—Belly opened to the brisket.
[Illustration: Large intestine being sliced away from carcass using
a knife]
Figure 46.—Loosening the large intestine.
[Illustration: Liver being sliced away from intestines using a knife]
Figure 47.—Freeing the intestines and paunch from the liver.
Remove the liver by reaching behind it and pulling while cutting the
connective tissue (fig. 48). During removal, check for any abscesses
(yellow or white pus pockets) or scar tissue, which are indications of
infections. If these are present, the entire carcass should be checked
thoroughly for other signs of infection or disease (discussed later in
the section on examining the carcass). Once the liver is removed,
separate the gall bladder by cutting under it (fig. 49). Wash the
liver thoroughly and put it in ice or ice water.
[Illustration: Liver being sliced out using a knife]
Figure 48.—Removing the liver.
[Illustration: Gall bladder being sliced away from liver using a
knife]
Figure 49.—Removing the gall bladder.
To remove the lungs and heart, cut through the diaphragm, the thin
sheet of muscle, and the white connective tissue that separates the
lungs and heart from the stomach and intestines. This cut is made at
the edge of the thin muscle as shown by the arrows in figure 50. Cut
beneath the hanging muscle and the large blood vessels just below the
kidneys to the backbone. Remove the heart, lungs, and windpipe as one
unit by pulling them down while cutting between them and the backbone
(fig. 51). Be _sure_ to note any adhesion of the lungs to the body wall
because this is a sign of infectious diseases.
[Illustration: Diaphragm cut away at the point of contact with ribs]
Figure 50.—Cutting through the diaphragm.
[Illustration: Slicing heart and lungs from backbone using a knife]
Figure 51.—Removing the heart and lungs.
The heart is removed from the lungs by cutting across the top of the
heart (fig. 52). Wash it thoroughly and put it in ice or ice water for
rapid chilling. If the tripe, or stomach, is to be saved, empty the
stomach as quickly as possible and rinse it. Thorough cleaning can be
done later.
[Illustration: Slicing across top of heart using a knife]
Figure 52.—Separating the heart from lungs.