SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEETS) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 29, 2013	Dec. 30, 2012	Sep. 23, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 330,316	$ 68,180	$ 55,030	$ 41,609
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	407,002	384,930
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	4,454	1,514
Inventories	911,086	950,296
Income taxes receivable	66,649	54,719
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	72,825	56,047
Assets held for sale	25,320	27,042
Total current assets	1,817,652	1,542,728
Deferred tax assets	59,620	97,431
Other long-lived assets	38,831	45,523
Identified intangible assets, net	33,960	38,266
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,159,358	1,189,921
Total assets	3,109,421	2,913,869
Accounts payable	370,034	312,365
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC	5,893	13,436
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	302,095	283,540
Income taxes payable	0	468
Current deferred tax liabilities	80,849	104,482
Current maturities of long-term debt	396	15,886
Total current liabilities	759,267	730,177
Long-term debt, less current maturities	912,019	1,148,870
Other long-term liabilities	84,566	125,825
Total liabilities	1,755,852	2,004,872
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	1,351,104	906,371
Noncontrolling interest	2,465	2,626
Total stockholders' equity	1,353,569	908,997	892,716	558,430
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,109,421	2,913,869
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories	(880)
Income taxes receivable	(1,587)	(587)
Current deferred tax assets	(4,300)	(4,300)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Assets held for sale
Total current assets	(5,767)	(4,887)
Intercompany receivable	(68,255)	(73,566)
Investment in subsidiaries	(457,862)	(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	(719,863)	(642,659)
Accounts payable
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Income taxes payable	(1,587)	(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	(68,255)	(73,566)
Deferred tax liabilities	(4,091)	(4,091)
Other long-term liabilities
Total liabilities	(102,233)	(107,544)
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	(617,630)	(535,115)
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	(617,630)	(535,115)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(719,863)	(642,659)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	259,985	27,657	16,958	13,733
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	352,947	326,031
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	4,454	1,514
Inventories	793,614	802,282
Income taxes receivable	60,948	55,306
Current deferred tax assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	37,356	29,603
Assets held for sale	8,618	9,808
Total current assets	1,517,922	1,252,201
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable	(27,638)	19,860
Investment in subsidiaries	457,862	376,226
Deferred tax assets	63,292	101,100
Other long-lived assets	38,263	44,936
Identified intangible assets, net	24,444	27,386
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,014,598	1,043,696
Total assets	3,088,743	2,865,405
Accounts payable	309,014	255,517
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC	5,893	13,436
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	307,251	230,278
Income taxes payable
Current deferred tax liabilities	84,572	108,201
Current maturities of long-term debt	396	15,886
Total current liabilities	707,126	623,318
Long-term debt, less current maturities	937,019	1,173,870
Intercompany payable
Deferred tax liabilities
Other long-term liabilities	81,406	122,580
Total liabilities	1,725,551	1,919,768
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	1,363,192	945,637
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	1,363,192	945,637
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,088,743	2,865,405
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents				30
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	1,925	1,843
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories	23,845	22,813
Income taxes receivable
Current deferred tax assets	3,794	3,794
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	110
Assets held for sale
Total current assets	29,674	28,450
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable	95,893	53,706
Investment in subsidiaries
Deferred tax assets
Other long-lived assets
Identified intangible assets, net
Property, plant and equipment, net	45,529	45,746
Total assets	171,096	127,902
Accounts payable	13,086	4,270
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	31,325	24,265
Income taxes payable
Current deferred tax liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt
Total current liabilities	44,411	28,535
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Intercompany payable
Deferred tax liabilities	3,794	3,794
Other long-term liabilities
Total liabilities	48,205	32,329
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	122,891	95,573
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	122,891	95,573
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	171,096	127,902
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	70,331	40,523	38,072	27,846
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	52,130	57,056
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories	94,507	125,201
Income taxes receivable	6,288
Current deferred tax assets	506	506
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,359	26,444
Assets held for sale	16,702	17,234
Total current assets	275,823	266,964
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Intercompany receivable
Investment in subsidiaries
Deferred tax assets	419	422
Other long-lived assets	180,568	180,587
Identified intangible assets, net	9,516	10,880
Property, plant and equipment, net	103,119	104,368
Total assets	569,445	563,221
Accounts payable	47,934	52,578
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(36,481)	28,997
Income taxes payable	587	1,055
Current deferred tax liabilities	577	581
Current maturities of long-term debt
Total current liabilities	12,617	83,211
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Intercompany payable	68,255	73,566
Deferred tax liabilities	297	297
Other long-term liabilities	3,160	3,245
Total liabilities	84,329	160,319
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	482,651	400,276
Noncontrolling interest	2,465	2,626
Total stockholders' equity	485,116	402,902
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 569,445	$ 563,221