a hide is pulled from the sides of a suspended livestock carcass by gripping the hide with two grippers in the belly area , and pulling the grippers and the hide toward the back of the carcass . the pulling direction is changed by supporting the pulling devices on transversely movable carriages which are moved toward each other during the pulling action . the transverse movement enables the grippers initially to reach farther around the belly to grip the hide , and finally to pull farther toward the spine .