SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 24, 2012	Jun. 26, 2011	Jun. 24, 2012	Jun. 26, 2011
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities			$ 80,322	$ (140,172)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment			(37,561)	(103,152)
Purchases of investment securities			162	3,383
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities			58	2,634
Proceeds from property sales and disposals	9,400	500	12,461	4,877
Cash used in investing activities			(25,204)	(99,024)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			(50,000)	0
Proceeds from long-term debt			391,300	580,289
Payments on long-term debt			(584,904)	(455,931)
Proceeds from note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			0	50,000
Proceeds from sale of common stock, net			198,282	0
Purchase of remaining interest in subsidiary			0	(2,504)
Payment of capitalized loan costs			0	(4,395)
Other financing activities			0	(106)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(45,322)	167,353
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			(2,178)	330
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			7,618	(71,513)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			41,609	106,077
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	49,227	34,564	49,227	34,564
Parent Company [Member]
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities			77,717	(194,575)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment			(32,535)	(91,020)
Purchases of investment securities			(73)	0
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities			58	0
Proceeds from property sales and disposals			11,640	3,799
Cash used in investing activities			(20,910)	(87,221)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			(50,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt			391,300	580,289
Payments on long-term debt			(584,904)	(455,931)
Proceeds from note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.				50,000
Proceeds from sale of common stock, net			198,282
Purchase of remaining interest in subsidiary				106
Payment of capitalized loan costs				(4,395)
Other financing activities			0	0
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(45,322)	170,069
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			11,485	(111,727)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			13,733	67,685
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	25,218	(44,042)	25,218	(44,042)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities			620	7,740
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment			(642)	(7,746)
Purchases of investment securities			0	0
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities			0	0
Proceeds from property sales and disposals			0	6
Cash used in investing activities			(642)	(7,740)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt			0	0
Payments on long-term debt			0	0
Proceeds from note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			0	0
Proceeds from sale of common stock, net			0	0
Purchase of remaining interest in subsidiary				0
Payment of capitalized loan costs				0
Other financing activities			0	0
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities			0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(22)	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			30	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	8	0	8	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities			1,761	44,485
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment			(4,384)	(4,386)
Purchases of investment securities			(89)	(3,383)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities			0	2,634
Proceeds from property sales and disposals			821	1,072
Cash used in investing activities			(3,652)	(4,063)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt			0	0
Payments on long-term debt			0	0
Proceeds from note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			0	0
Proceeds from sale of common stock, net			0	0
Purchase of remaining interest in subsidiary				0
Payment of capitalized loan costs				0
Other financing activities			224	(538)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities			224	(538)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			(2,178)	330
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(3,845)	40,214
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			27,846	38,392
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	24,001	78,606	24,001	78,606
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities			224	2,178
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment			0	0
Purchases of investment securities			0	0
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities			0	0
Proceeds from property sales and disposals			0	0
Cash used in investing activities			0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt			0	0
Payments on long-term debt			0	0
Proceeds from note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.			0	0
Proceeds from sale of common stock, net			0
Purchase of remaining interest in subsidiary				(2,610)
Payment of capitalized loan costs				0
Other financing activities			(224)	432
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(224)	(2,178)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0