SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 30, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 68,180	$ 41,609	$ 106,077	$ 236,300
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	7,680
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	157
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	384,930	349,222
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	1,514	21,198
Inventories	950,296	879,094
Income taxes receivable	54,719	59,067
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	56,047	52,350
Assets held for sale	27,042	53,816
Total current assets	1,542,728	1,464,193
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	497
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	97,431	71,099
Other long-lived assets	45,523	57,921
Identified intangible assets, net	38,266	44,083
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,189,921	1,241,752
Total assets	2,913,869	2,879,545
Accounts payable	312,365	328,864
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	13,436	11,653
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	283,540	281,797
Income taxes payable	468	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	104,482	79,248
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,886	15,611
Total current liabilities	730,177	717,173
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,148,870	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	125,825	145,941
Total liabilities	2,004,872	2,321,115
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	906,371	555,612
Noncontrolling interest	2,626	2,818
Total stockholders' equity	908,997	558,430	1,078,596	192,808
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,913,869	2,879,545
Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	27,657	13,733	67,685	183,315
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	326,031	302,809
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	1,514	21,198
Inventories	802,282	766,227
Income taxes receivable	55,306	62,160
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	29,603	35,877
Assets held for sale	9,808	37,754
Total current assets	1,252,201	1,239,758
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	19,860	50,064
Investment in subsidiaries	376,226	304,395
Deferred tax assets	101,100	75,392
Other long-lived assets	44,936	57,460
Identified intangible assets, net	27,386	31,384
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,043,696	1,090,376
Total assets	2,865,405	2,848,829
Accounts payable	255,517	270,538
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	13,436	11,653
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	230,278	226,016
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	108,201	83,795
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,886	15,611
Total current liabilities	623,318	607,613
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,173,870	1,433,001
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.	0	50,000
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	122,580	289,697
Total liabilities	1,919,768	2,380,311
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	945,637	468,518
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	945,637	468,518
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,865,405	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	1,843	1,575
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	22,813	21,144
Income taxes receivable	0	0
Current deferred tax assets	3,794	4,003
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	87
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	28,450	26,839
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	53,706	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	45,746	49,336
Total assets	127,902	110,153
Accounts payable	4,270	13,033
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	24,265	17,193
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	28,535	30,226
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	0
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	3,794	4,003
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	32,329	34,229
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	95,573	75,924
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	95,573	75,924
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	127,902	110,153
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	40,523	27,846	38,392	52,985
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	7,680
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	157
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	57,056	44,838
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	125,201	91,723
Income taxes receivable	0	528
Current deferred tax assets	506	1,478
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	26,444	16,386
Assets held for sale	17,234	16,062
Total current assets	266,964	206,698
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	497
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	422	7
Other long-lived assets	180,587	180,461
Identified intangible assets, net	10,880	12,699
Property, plant and equipment, net	104,368	105,928
Total assets	563,221	506,290
Accounts payable	52,578	45,293
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	28,997	38,588
Income taxes payable	1,055	3,621
Current deferred tax liabilities	581	934
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	83,211	88,436
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	0
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Intercompany payable	73,566	84,042
Deferred tax liabilities	297	297
Other long-term liabilities	3,245	11,675
Total liabilities	160,319	184,450
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	400,276	319,022
Noncontrolling interest	2,626	2,818
Total stockholders' equity	402,902	321,840
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	563,221	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	(4,300)	(5,481)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(4,887)	(9,102)
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(73,566)	(84,042)
Investment in subsidiaries	(376,226)	(304,395)
Deferred tax assets	(4,091)	(4,300)
Other long-lived assets	(180,000)	(180,000)
Identified intangible assets, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	(3,889)	(3,888)
Total assets	(642,659)	(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	(4,300)	(5,481)
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(4,887)	(9,102)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(25,000)	(25,000)
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Intercompany payable	(73,566)	(84,042)
Deferred tax liabilities	(4,091)	(4,300)
Other long-term liabilities	0	(155,431)
Total liabilities	(107,544)	(277,875)
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	(535,115)	(307,852)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	(535,115)	(307,852)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (642,659)	$ (585,727)