A major factor affecting fresh pork quality is the implementation of management technologies that improve market swine movement during the loading process for transport to the packing plant. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of loading system at the farm (traditional chute with no handling delay vs. prototype loading gantry with handling delay) on the fresh quality pork loin. Pork loins (n=95 per treatment) from the close out (CO; defined as pigs harvested from the last marketing group from a barn) were utilised. Loins from pigs loaded with the traditional chute with no handling delay had greater (P=0.01) pH upon initiation of chilling, but lower (P=0.03) 24h pH than loins from pigs loaded with the prototype with a handling delay. The Japanese colour score (JCS) for the cut surface and for rib values were higher (P=0.02) for loins from pigs loaded with the traditional chute with no handling delay. These observations were consistent with lower L* values for loins from pigs loaded with the traditional chute with no handling delay (P=0.01) and had improved (85 to 76%) colour pass rate compared to loins from pigs loaded with the prototype loading gantry with a handling delay. This investigation demonstrates that unidirectional flow and consistent rate of movement are important in the optimisation of pork quality, even when using what most would consider an ideal loading gantry system.