A method of processing a suspended animal carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') as the carcass is moved along a defined path comprising: providing a carcass rail having a plurality of carcass trolleys spaced at desired intervals and movable along the carcass rail in a first direction, each carcass trolley capable of supporting an animal carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20'); providing an animal carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') supported by a carcass trolley on the carcass rail; providing a saw rail having a saw trolley capable of supporting a carcass saw, the saw trolley being moveable along the saw rail in a second direction normal to the first direction; providing a carcass spitting saw supported by the saw trolley, the saw being counterbalanced on the saw trolley by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the saw to permit movement of the saw by a force less than the weight of the saw; providing a robot-based carcass processing device having a robotic arm attached to the saw, the robot-based carcass processing device being disposed adjacent the carcass rail, the robotic arm having a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the saw; using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, initially positioning the counterbalanced saw on the saw trolley at a first position away from the carcass rail; moving the supported carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') on the carcass rail in the first direction to a position adjacent the robot-based carcass processing device; using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, moving the counterbalanced saw on the saw trolley along the saw rail in the second direction toward the carcass rail to a second position adjacent the supported carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') on the carcass rail; using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, moving the counterbalanced saw in said first direction and a third direction, said third direction normal to said first direction and said second direction, to cut the supported carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') as it moves along the carcass rail; and using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, moving the counterbalanced saw in the second direction away from the carcass rail to return the saw to the first position, wherein the load on the robotic arm does not exceed the weight of the saw during all movement of the saw. providing a carcass rail having a plurality of carcass trolleys spaced at desired intervals and movable along the carcass rail in a first direction, each carcass trolley capable of supporting an animal carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20'); providing an animal carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') supported by a carcass trolley on the carcass rail; providing a saw rail having a saw trolley capable of supporting a carcass saw, the saw trolley being moveable along the saw rail in a second direction normal to the first direction; providing a carcass spitting saw supported by the saw trolley, the saw being counterbalanced on the saw trolley by a mass having a weight less than the weight of the saw to permit movement of the saw by a force less than the weight of the saw; providing a robot-based carcass processing device having a robotic arm attached to the saw, the robot-based carcass processing device being disposed adjacent the carcass rail, the robotic arm having a maximum load-carrying capacity less than the weight of the saw; using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, initially positioning the counterbalanced saw on the saw trolley at a first position away from the carcass rail; moving the supported carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') on the carcass rail in the first direction to a position adjacent the robot-based carcass processing device; using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, moving the counterbalanced saw on the saw trolley along the saw rail in the second direction toward the carcass rail to a second position adjacent the supported carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') on the carcass rail; using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, moving the counterbalanced saw in said first direction and a third direction, said third direction normal to said first direction and said second direction, to cut the supported carcass (20a, 20b, 20c, 20') as it moves along the carcass rail; and using the robotic arm of the robot-based carcass processing device, moving the counterbalanced saw in the second direction away from the carcass rail to return the saw to the first position, wherein the load on the robotic arm does not exceed the weight of the saw during all movement of the saw.