SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 24, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 49,227	$ 41,609	$ 34,564	$ 106,077
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	4,666	7,680
Investment in available-for-sale securities	156	157
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	347,389	349,222
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	24,932	21,198
Inventories	987,992	879,094
Income taxes receivable	65,495	59,067
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	43,395	52,350
Assets held for sale	44,713	53,816
Total current assets	1,567,965	1,464,193
Investment in available-for-sale securities	474	497
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	71,099	71,099
Other long-lived assets	48,843	57,921
Identified intangible assets, net	41,230	44,083
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,209,796	1,241,752
Total assets	2,939,407	2,879,545
Accounts payable	342,101	328,864
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	6,746	11,653
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	280,871	281,797
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	79,247	79,248
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,617	15,611
Total current liabilities	724,582	717,173
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,214,619	1,408,001
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.	0	50,000
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	145,469	145,941
Total liabilities	2,084,670	2,321,115
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	851,699	555,612
Noncontrolling interest	3,038	2,818
Total stockholders' equity	854,737	558,430	827,697	1,078,596
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,939,407	2,879,545
Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	25,218	13,733	(44,042)	67,685
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	292,044	302,809
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	24,932	21,198
Inventories	869,863	766,227
Income taxes receivable	59,722	62,160
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,478	35,877
Assets held for sale	28,778	37,754
Total current assets	1,321,805	1,239,758
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	33,609	50,064
Investment in subsidiaries	339,489	304,395
Deferred tax assets	75,392	75,392
Other long-lived assets	48,351	57,460
Identified intangible assets, net	29,423	31,384
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,063,036	1,090,376
Total assets	2,911,105	2,848,829
Accounts payable	294,107	270,538
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	6,746	11,653
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	221,578	226,016
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	83,809	83,795
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,617	15,611
Total current liabilities	621,857	607,613
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,239,619	1,433,001
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		50,000
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	297,264	289,697
Total liabilities	2,158,740	2,380,311
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	752,365	468,518
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	752,365	468,518
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,911,105	2,848,829
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	8	30	0	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	15,285	1,575
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	22,767	21,144
Income taxes receivable	0	0
Current deferred tax assets	4,003	4,003
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	188	87
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	42,243	26,839
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	32,218	33,978
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	0	0
Other long-lived assets	0	0
Identified intangible assets, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	47,112	49,336
Total assets	121,573	110,153
Accounts payable	12,276	13,033
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	19,864	17,193
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	32,140	30,226
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	0
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	4,003	4,003
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	36,143	34,229
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	85,430	75,924
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	85,430	75,924
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	121,573	110,153
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	24,001	27,846	78,606	38,392
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	4,666	7,680
Investment in available-for-sale securities	156	157
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	40,060	44,838
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	95,362	91,723
Income taxes receivable	6,781	528
Current deferred tax assets	1,492	1,478
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,729	16,386
Assets held for sale	15,935	16,062
Total current assets	210,420	206,698
Investment in available-for-sale securities	474	497
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	7	7
Other long-lived assets	180,492	180,461
Identified intangible assets, net	11,807	12,699
Property, plant and equipment, net	103,536	105,928
Total assets	506,736	506,290
Accounts payable	35,718	45,293
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	39,426	38,588
Income taxes payable	1,008	3,621
Current deferred tax liabilities	933	934
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	77,085	88,436
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	0
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	65,830	84,042
Deferred tax liabilities	297	297
Other long-term liabilities	3,205	11,675
Total liabilities	146,417	184,450
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	357,281	319,022
Noncontrolling interest	3,038	2,818
Total stockholders' equity	360,319	321,840
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	506,736	506,290
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Income taxes receivable	(1,008)	(3,621)
Current deferred tax assets	(5,495)	(5,481)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(6,503)	(9,102)
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(65,827)	(84,042)
Investment in subsidiaries	(339,489)	(304,395)
Deferred tax assets	(4,300)	(4,300)
Other long-lived assets	(180,000)	(180,000)
Identified intangible assets, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	(3,888)	(3,888)
Total assets	(600,007)	(585,727)
Accounts payable	0	0
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	3	0
Income taxes payable	(1,008)	(3,621)
Current deferred tax liabilities	(5,495)	(5,481)
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(6,500)	(9,102)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(25,000)	(25,000)
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	(65,830)	(84,042)
Deferred tax liabilities	(4,300)	(4,300)
Other long-term liabilities	(155,000)	(155,431)
Total liabilities	(256,630)	(277,875)
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	(343,377)	(307,852)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	(343,377)	(307,852)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (600,007)	$ (585,727)