SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEETS) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 30, 2012	Jun. 24, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 78,231	$ 68,180	$ 49,227	$ 41,609
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	390,461	384,930
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	3,892	1,514
Inventories	952,191	950,296
Income taxes receivable	60,388	54,719
Current deferred tax assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	71,166	56,047
Assets held for sale	28,830	27,042
Total current assets	1,585,159	1,542,728
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable
Investment in subsidiaries
Deferred tax assets	97,434	97,431
Other long-lived assets	38,941	45,523
Identified intangible assets, net	35,395	38,266
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,166,985	1,189,921
Total assets	2,923,914	2,913,869
Accounts payable	327,185	312,365
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC	5,793	13,436
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	285,075	283,540
Income taxes payable	10,592	468
Current deferred tax liabilities	104,486	104,482
Current maturities of long-term debt	393	15,886
Total current liabilities	733,524	730,177
Long-term debt, less current maturities	911,939	1,148,870
Intercompany payable
Deferred tax liabilities
Other long-term liabilities	87,031	125,825
Total liabilities	1,732,494	2,004,872
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	1,189,062	906,371
Noncontrolling interest	2,358	2,626
Total stockholders' equity	1,191,420	908,997	854,737	558,430
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,923,914	2,913,869
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories
Income taxes receivable	(587)	(587)
Current deferred tax assets	(4,300)	(4,300)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Assets held for sale
Total current assets	(4,887)	(4,887)
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable	(60,836)	(73,566)
Investment in subsidiaries	(440,081)	(376,226)
Deferred tax assets	(4,091)	(4,091)
Other long-lived assets	(180,000)	(180,000)
Identified intangible assets, net
Property, plant and equipment, net	(3,888)	(3,889)
Total assets	(693,783)	(642,659)
Accounts payable
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Income taxes payable	(587)	(587)
Current deferred tax liabilities	(4,300)	(4,300)
Current maturities of long-term debt
Total current liabilities	(4,887)	(4,887)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(25,000)	(25,000)
Intercompany payable	(60,836)	(73,566)
Deferred tax liabilities	(4,091)	(4,091)
Other long-term liabilities
Total liabilities	(94,814)	(107,544)
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	(598,969)	(535,115)
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	(598,969)	(535,115)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(693,783)	(642,659)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	35,866	27,657	25,218	13,733
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	329,338	326,031
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	3,892	1,514
Inventories	803,524	802,282
Income taxes receivable	60,975	55,306
Current deferred tax assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,920	29,603
Assets held for sale	11,587	9,808
Total current assets	1,281,102	1,252,201
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable	(18,037)	19,860
Investment in subsidiaries	440,081	376,226
Deferred tax assets	101,099	101,100
Other long-lived assets	38,364	44,936
Identified intangible assets, net	25,424	27,386
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,021,907	1,043,696
Total assets	2,889,940	2,865,405
Accounts payable	267,059	255,517
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC	5,793	13,436
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	284,682	230,278
Income taxes payable
Current deferred tax liabilities	108,200	108,201
Current maturities of long-term debt	393	15,886
Total current liabilities	666,127	623,318
Long-term debt, less current maturities	936,939	1,173,870
Intercompany payable
Deferred tax liabilities
Other long-term liabilities	83,891	122,580
Total liabilities	1,686,957	1,919,768
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	1,202,983	945,637
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	1,202,983	945,637
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,889,940	2,865,405
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	112		8	30
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	2,053	1,843
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories	26,351	22,813
Income taxes receivable
Current deferred tax assets	3,794	3,794
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	107
Assets held for sale
Total current assets	32,417	28,450
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable	78,873	53,706
Investment in subsidiaries
Deferred tax assets
Other long-lived assets
Identified intangible assets, net
Property, plant and equipment, net	45,452	45,746
Total assets	156,742	127,902
Accounts payable	12,871	4,270
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	28,999	24,265
Income taxes payable
Current deferred tax liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt
Total current liabilities	41,870	28,535
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Intercompany payable
Deferred tax liabilities	3,794	3,794
Other long-term liabilities
Total liabilities	45,664	32,329
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	111,078	95,573
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	111,078	95,573
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	156,742	127,902
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	42,253	40,523	24,001	27,846
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	59,070	57,056
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories	122,316	125,201
Income taxes receivable
Current deferred tax assets	506	506
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,139	26,444
Assets held for sale	17,243	17,234
Total current assets	276,527	266,964
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable
Investment in subsidiaries
Deferred tax assets	426	422
Other long-lived assets	180,577	180,587
Identified intangible assets, net	9,971	10,880
Property, plant and equipment, net	103,514	104,368
Total assets	571,015	563,221
Accounts payable	47,255	52,578
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(28,606)	28,997
Income taxes payable	11,179	1,055
Current deferred tax liabilities	586	581
Current maturities of long-term debt
Total current liabilities	30,414	83,211
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Intercompany payable	60,836	73,566
Deferred tax liabilities	297	297
Other long-term liabilities	3,140	3,245
Total liabilities	94,687	160,319
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	473,970	400,276
Noncontrolling interest	2,358	2,626
Total stockholders' equity	476,328	402,902
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 571,015	$ 563,221