SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 30, 2012	Mar. 25, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 43,560	$ 68,180	$ 47,570	$ 41,609
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	390,421	384,930
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	3,814	1,514
Inventories	972,358	950,296
Income taxes receivable	58,321	54,719
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	64,436	56,047
Assets held for sale	26,832	27,042
Total current assets	1,559,742	1,542,728
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	97,455	97,431
Other long-lived assets	42,789	45,523
Identified intangible assets, net	36,831	38,266
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,181,518	1,189,921
Total assets	2,918,335	2,913,869
Accounts payable	290,533	312,365
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	7,045	13,436
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	284,641	283,540
Income taxes payable	0	468
Current deferred tax liabilities	104,515	104,482
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,888	15,886
Total current liabilities	702,622	730,177
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,126,477	1,148,870
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	115,053	125,825
Total liabilities	1,944,152	2,004,872
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	971,911	906,371
Noncontrolling interest	2,272	2,626
Total stockholders' equity	974,183	908,997	796,976	558,430
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,918,335	2,913,869
Parent Company [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	14,735	27,657	24,129	13,733
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	329,379	326,031
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	3,814	1,514
Inventories	815,711	802,282
Income taxes receivable	58,424	55,306
Current deferred tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	33,027	29,603
Assets held for sale	9,598	9,808
Total current assets	1,264,688	1,252,201
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(969)	19,860
Investment in subsidiaries	409,228	376,226
Deferred tax assets	101,099	101,100
Other long-lived assets	42,169	44,936
Identified intangible assets, net	26,405	27,386
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,036,063	1,043,696
Total assets	2,878,683	2,865,405
Accounts payable	239,216	255,517
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	7,045	13,436
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	246,984	230,278
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	108,200	108,201
Current maturities of long-term debt	15,888	15,886
Total current liabilities	617,333	623,318
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,151,477	1,173,870
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	111,820	122,580
Total liabilities	1,880,630	1,919,768
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	998,053	945,637
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	998,053	945,637
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,878,683	2,865,405
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	30
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	2,065	1,843
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	26,018	22,813
Income taxes receivable	0	0
Current deferred tax assets	3,794	3,794
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	120	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	31,997	28,450
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	59,322	53,706
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	45,735	45,746
Total assets	137,054	127,902
Accounts payable	6,490	4,270
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	25,982	24,265
Income taxes payable	0	0
Current deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	32,472	28,535
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	0
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities	3,794	3,794
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	36,266	32,329
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	100,788	95,573
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	100,788	95,573
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	137,054	127,902
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	28,825	40,523	23,441	27,846
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	58,977	57,056
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Inventories	130,629	125,201
Income taxes receivable	484	0
Current deferred tax assets	506	506
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	31,289	26,444
Assets held for sale	17,234	17,234
Total current assets	267,944	266,964
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Deferred tax assets	447	422
Other long-lived assets	180,620	180,587
Identified intangible assets, net	10,426	10,880
Property, plant and equipment, net	103,608	104,368
Total assets	563,045	563,221
Accounts payable	44,827	52,578
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	11,675	28,997
Income taxes payable	587	1,055
Current deferred tax liabilities	615	581
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	57,704	83,211
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	0
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	58,353	73,566
Deferred tax liabilities	297	297
Other long-term liabilities	3,233	3,245
Total liabilities	119,587	160,319
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	441,186	400,276
Noncontrolling interest	2,272	2,626
Total stockholders' equity	443,458	402,902
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	563,045	563,221
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)	(587)
Current deferred tax assets	(4,300)	(4,300)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(4,887)	(4,887)
Investment in available-for-sale securities	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(58,353)	(73,566)
Investment in subsidiaries	(409,228)	(376,226)
Deferred tax assets	(4,091)	(4,091)
Other long-lived assets	(180,000)	(180,000)
Identified intangible assets, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	(3,888)	(3,889)
Total assets	(660,447)	(642,659)
Accounts payable	0	0
Account payable to JBS USA, LLC	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	0	0
Income taxes payable	(587)	(587)
Current deferred tax liabilities	(4,300)	(4,300)
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(4,887)	(4,887)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(25,000)	(25,000)
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		0
Intercompany payable	(58,353)	(73,566)
Deferred tax liabilities	(4,091)	(4,091)
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(92,331)	(107,544)
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	(568,116)	(535,115)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	(568,116)	(535,115)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (660,447)	$ (642,659)