SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 23, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 55,030	$ 41,609	$ 46,904	$ 106,077
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	4,526	7,680
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	157
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	367,854	349,222
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	8,170	21,198
Inventories	979,243	879,094
Income taxes receivable	64,944	59,067
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	54,884	52,350
Assets held for sale	28,826	53,816
Total current assets	1,563,477	1,464,193
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	497
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	71,099	71,099
Other long-lived assets	48,931	57,921
Identified intangible assets, net	39,803	44,083
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,196,964	1,241,752
Total assets	2,920,274	2,879,545
Accounts payable	320,004	328,864
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	6,280	11,653
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	310,463	281,797
Income taxes payable	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	79,319	79,248
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,619	15,611
Total current liabilities	731,685	717,173
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,151,127	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	144,746	145,941
Total liabilities	2,027,558	2,321,115
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	889,668	555,612
Noncontrolling interest	3,048	2,818
Total stockholders' equity	892,716	558,430	663,922	1,078,596
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,920,274	2,879,545
Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	16,958	13,733	17,424	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	319,616	302,809
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	8,170	21,198
Inventories	840,969	766,227
Income taxes receivable	58,344	62,160
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	32,307	35,877
Assets held for sale	12,891	37,754
Total current assets	1,289,255	1,239,758
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	16,778	50,064
Investment in subsidiaries	367,872	304,395
Deferred tax assets	75,392	75,392
Other long-lived assets	48,418	57,460
Identified intangible assets, net	28,443	31,384
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,051,561	1,090,376
Total assets	2,877,719	2,848,829
Accounts payable	264,730	270,538
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	6,280	11,653
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	255,964	226,016
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	82,823	83,795
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,619	15,611
Total current liabilities	625,416	607,613
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,176,127	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	296,378	289,697
Total liabilities	2,097,921	2,380,311
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	779,798	468,518
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	779,798	468,518
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,877,719	2,848,829
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	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	2,034	1,575
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	26,324	21,144
Income taxes receivable	0	0
Current deferred tax assets	4,003	4,003
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	152	87
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	32,513	26,839
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	49,196	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	46,385	49,336
Total assets	128,094	110,153
Accounts payable	10,234	13,033
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	22,300	17,193
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	32,534	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	36,537	34,229
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	91,557	75,924
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	91,557	75,924
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	128,094	110,153
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	38,072	27,846	29,480	38,392
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	4,526	7,680
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	157
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	46,204	44,838
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	111,950	91,723
Income taxes receivable	7,187	528
Current deferred tax assets	506	1,478
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	22,425	16,386
Assets held for sale	15,935	16,062
Total current assets	246,805	206,698
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	497
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	7	7
Other long-lived assets	180,513	180,461
Identified intangible assets, net	11,360	12,699
Property, plant and equipment, net	102,906	105,928
Total assets	541,591	506,290
Accounts payable	45,040	45,293
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	32,199	38,588
Income taxes payable	587	3,621
Current deferred tax liabilities	1,005	934
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	78,831	88,436
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	0
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	65,974	84,042
Deferred tax liabilities	297	297
Other long-term liabilities	3,368	11,675
Total liabilities	148,470	184,450
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	390,073	319,022
Noncontrolling interest	3,048	2,818
Total stockholders' equity	393,121	321,840
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	541,591	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	(587)	(3,621)
Current deferred tax assets	(4,509)	(5,481)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(5,096)	(9,102)
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(65,974)	(84,042)
Investment in subsidiaries	(367,872)	(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	(627,130)	(585,727)
Accounts payable	0	0
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	0	0
Income taxes payable	(587)	(3,621)
Current deferred tax liabilities	(4,509)	(5,481)
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(5,096)	(9,102)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(25,000)	(25,000)
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	(65,974)	(84,042)
Deferred tax liabilities	(4,300)	(4,300)
Other long-term liabilities	(155,000)	(155,431)
Total liabilities	(255,370)	(277,875)
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	(371,760)	(307,852)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	(371,760)	(307,852)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (627,130)	$ (585,727)