Abstract: Apparatus for cutting slaughtered poultry into individual pieces including a keel cutting station for severing a front breast section from the carcass. The station includes a first cutter for cutting a rear portion of the keel and a second, reciprocating cutter for effecting a second cut that intersects a cut made by the first cutter such that the keel is completely severed from the carcass. The movement of the second cutter is coordinated with the movement of a carcass supporting module so that the reciprocating knife remains substantially vertically aligned with the carcass supporting module during the cutting sequence. A size sensor is provided for adjusting the relative position of the reciprocating knife with the module to compensate for changes in bird size. A pair of interconnected actuators provide a three step adjustment for the reciprocating knife. An intermediate conveyor is provided for receiving the severed keel and transferring it to a primary conveyor.