Split the warm, dressed carcass into halves. This allows for free
circulation of air around the halves, to get a quicker chill. Also, a
dressed beef carcass is heavier and harder to handle if it is not split.
To split the carcass, first saw through the sacral vertebrae or tail
region from the inside (fig. 60). As soon as you have made the cut to
the rise of the pelvic arch, saw from the outside. To make sawing
through the center of the vertebrae easier, mark the correct line you
wish to take down the backbone with a knife. Mark over the top of the
bony spinal processes, which can be easily located with the fingers
(fig. 61). Make the split through the loin and rib. In the chuck
region, lower the handle of the saw to make sawing easier (fig. 62).
If the split gets off center, continue through to the next vertebra
and realign the saw.
[Illustration: Saw inside body cavity sawing down]
Figure 60.—Splitting the sacral vertebrae.
[Illustration: Hanging carcass with knife slice marks along backbone]
Figure 61.—Line of cutting.
[Illustration: Saw cutting through shoulder region]
Figure 62.—Sawing through the chuck.
If brain removal is desired, continue the split through the poll and
down the center of the face. After sawing half way down the face, pull
the halves of the head apart and remove the brains (fig. 63). Wash the
brains thoroughly, checking for bone fragments. If the animal has been
shot the brain will contain metal fragments and should not be saved.
[Illustration: Hand reaching into brain case and pulling out brain]
Figure 63.—Removing the brains.
Remove the head at the first joint next to the poll. Head removal is
much easier after splitting (fig. 64). Then remove the kidney and
kidney fat (fig. 65).
[Illustration: Man slicing off head using a knife]
Figure 64.—Removing the head at the atlas joint.
[Illustration: Man slicing out kidney using a knife]
Figure 65.—Removing the kidney and surrounding fat.
Wash the carcass with clean water, especially down the split backbone
where bone dust accumulates. With a knife, remove any contamination
which cannot be washed off. Pumping the front legs up and down a few
times helps drain the blood from the forequarters.