The influence of the timing and duration of slaughter processes on pork quality was evaluated.The results demonstrate that reducing the time to evisceration is less important than reducing the time to the initiation of carcass chilling. A shortened interval between stunning and cooling can be accomplished by decreasing time allowed for blood removal (dwell time) and scalding.A dwell time of 3 min should allow harvest facilities to maximize profits from blood yields and allow carcasses to enter the scalder at an earlier time postmortem.Lengthening the duration of scalding may result in a more rapid postmortem pH decline. It is recommended that each individual processing facility monitor scald times to determine the appropriate length of time needed to maximize hair removal and minimize time spent on the slaughter floor.