SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended															12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2012		Sep. 23, 2012	Jun. 26, 2012	Mar. 25, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011		Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010		Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 30, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Net sales	$ 2,189,662	[1]	$ 2,068,478	$ 1,974,469	$ 1,888,773	$ 1,829,308	[2]	$ 1,891,224	$ 1,922,690	$ 1,892,476	$ 1,811,293	[3]	$ 1,719,850	$ 1,707,568	$ 1,642,918	$ 8,121,382	$ 7,535,698	$ 6,881,629
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales																7,685,550	7,675,277	6,416,318
Operational restructuring charges, net																0	1,958	4,318
Gross profit (loss)	75,543	[1]	106,135	144,089	110,065	20,188	[2]	(62,387)	(46,228)	(53,110)	119,189	[3]	157,294	132,491	52,019	435,832	(141,537)	460,993
Selling, general and administrative expense																177,041	205,143	209,544
Administrative restructuring charges, net																8,449	26,911	66,022
Total costs and expenses																7,871,040	7,909,289	6,696,202
Operating income (loss)																250,342	(373,591)	185,427
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense																104,926	111,532	105,553
Interest income																1,397	1,465	3,805
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																0	0	(11,726)
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains)																4,810	(12,601)	(212)
Miscellaneous, net																1,439	9,133	13,288
Total other expenses																97,280	113,535	100,398
Income (loss) from continuing operations before reorganization																153,062	(487,126)	85,029
Reorganization items, net																0	0	18,541
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																153,062	(487,126)	66,488
Income tax expense (benefit)																(20,980)	8,564	(23,838)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																174,042	(495,690)	90,326
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																0	0	0
Net income (loss)																174,042	(495,690)	90,326
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest																(192)	1,082	3,185
Net income (loss) attributable to Pilgrim's Pride	22,773	[1]	42,931	69,357	39,173	(85,355)	[2]	(162,516)	(128,141)	(120,760)	41,844	[3]	57,926	32,918	(45,547)	174,234	(496,772)	87,141
Parent Company [Member]
Net sales																6,836,012	6,135,319	5,623,958
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales																6,530,925	6,237,535	5,183,274
Operational restructuring charges, net																	1,958	4,318
Gross profit (loss)																305,087	(104,174)	436,366
Selling, general and administrative expense																156,535	174,694	176,589
Administrative restructuring charges, net																9,743	19,824	59,136
Total costs and expenses																6,697,203	6,434,011	5,423,317
Operating income (loss)																138,809	(298,692)	200,641
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense																104,652	110,940	103,735
Interest income																(295)	(363)	(580)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		11,726
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains)																95	(31)	314
Miscellaneous, net																(2,131)	59,661	91,576
Total other expenses																102,321	170,207	206,771
Income (loss) from continuing operations before reorganization																		(6,130)
Reorganization items, net																		18,348
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																36,488	(468,899)	(24,478)
Income tax expense (benefit)																(38,852)	(14,139)	(15,266)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																75,340	(454,760)	(9,212)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																101,372	(9,334)	65,544
Net income (loss)																176,712	(464,094)	56,332
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest																0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Pilgrim's Pride																176,712	(464,094)	56,332
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales																537,198	458,932	470,649
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales																511,800	430,343	449,358
Operational restructuring charges, net																	0	0
Gross profit (loss)																25,398	28,589	21,291
Selling, general and administrative expense																0	0	(279)
Administrative restructuring charges, net																0	0	0
Total costs and expenses																511,800	430,343	449,079
Operating income (loss)																25,398	28,589	21,570
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense																0	0	0
Interest income																0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		0
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains)																0	0	0
Miscellaneous, net																(14)	3,818	4,241
Total other expenses																(14)	3,818	4,241
Income (loss) from continuing operations before reorganization																25,412		17,329
Reorganization items, net																		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																	24,771	17,329
Income tax expense (benefit)																9,593	9,351	6,542
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																15,819	15,420	10,787
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																0	0	0
Net income (loss)																15,819	15,420	10,787
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest																0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Pilgrim's Pride																15,819	15,420	10,787
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales																992,501	1,225,128	1,173,766
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales																887,154	1,291,080	1,170,430
Operational restructuring charges, net																	0	0
Gross profit (loss)																105,347	(65,952)	3,336
Selling, general and administrative expense																20,506	30,449	33,234
Administrative restructuring charges, net																(1,294)	7,087	6,886
Total costs and expenses																906,366	1,328,616	1,210,550
Operating income (loss)																86,135	(103,488)	(36,784)
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense																274	592	1,818
Interest income																(1,102)	(1,102)	(3,225)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		0
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains)																(4,905)	12,632	(102)
Miscellaneous, net																22	(98,360)	(110,261)
Total other expenses																(5,711)	(86,238)	(111,770)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before reorganization																		74,986
Reorganization items, net																		193
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																91,846	(17,250)	74,793
Income tax expense (benefit)																8,279	13,352	(15,114)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																83,567	(30,602)	89,907
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																0	0	0
Net income (loss)																83,567	(30,602)	89,907
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest																(192)	1,082	3,185
Net income (loss) attributable to Pilgrim's Pride																83,759	(31,684)	86,722
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales																(244,329)	(283,681)	(386,744)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales																(244,329)	(283,681)	(386,744)
Operational restructuring charges, net																	0	0
Gross profit (loss)																0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expense																0	0	0
Administrative restructuring charges, net																0	0	0
Total costs and expenses																(244,329)	(283,681)	(386,744)
Operating income (loss)																0	0	0
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense																0	0	0
Interest income																0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		0
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains)																0	0	0
Miscellaneous, net																684	25,748	1,156
Total other expenses																684	25,748	1,156
Income (loss) from continuing operations before reorganization																		(1,156)
Reorganization items, net																		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																(684)	(25,748)	(1,156)
Income tax expense (benefit)																0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																(684)	(25,748)	(1,156)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries																(101,372)	9,334	(65,544)
Net income (loss)																(102,056)	(16,414)	(66,700)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest																0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Pilgrim's Pride																$ (102,056)	$ (16,414)	$ (66,700)

[1] In the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company recognized expenses related to the shutdown of our Dallas plant of $1.1 million and asset impairment charges of $1.4 million.

[2] In the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company recognized restructuring charges of $14.6 million, asset impairment charges of $11.3 million and net gains on derivative financial instruments of $3.1 million.

[3] Significant facilities closed included one processing plant in 2008, two processing plants in 2009, two processing plants in the transition period and one processing plant in 2011. The transition period began September 27, 2009 and ended December 27, 2009 and resulted from the Company’s change in its fiscal year end from the Saturday nearest September 30 each year to the last Sunday in December of each year.