In a carcass dehairing machine, the combination of a pivoted grate provided with openings, a rotary dehairer comprising scraping arms operable through said openings to scrape the carcass in said grate, means whereby to tilt said grate away from said rotary dehairer to discharge the carcass, and a shield for said rotary dehairer moovable about said rotar dehairer toward said grate between said grate and said rotary dehairer.