The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre slaughter lairage time on carcass and meat quality of cattle. Thirty Hereford steers were randomly assigned to two treatments according to lairage time in the slaughterhouse:12 hours (Treatment 1, n = 15) and 3 hours (Treatment 2, n = 15). The pH measurements were taken at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours post mortem at Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LM) muscles. Muscle color was measured on the LM at L*, a* and b* color space, after 2 days of aging and one hour of blooming. Shear force measurement was obtained also on the LM and after 2 aging days using Warner Bratzler. Data was analyzed by the SAS software applying GLM and GLIMMIX procedures. Carcass pH did not differ between treatments in any evaluated time (P>0.05). The pH showed an appropriate decline curve, with values within the acceptable standard, between 5.5 and 5.8. The L *, a *, b * and shear force parameters did not differ between treatments (P>0.05). In summary, no differences in carcass and meat quality were found between the evaluated lairage durations.