SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEETS) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 30, 2014	Dec. 29, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 30, 2012
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 514,975	$ 508,206	$ 43,560	$ 68,180
Investment in available-for-sale securities	37,005	96,902
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	373,609	376,678
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	3,220	2,388
Inventories	793,516	808,832
Income taxes receivable	20,635	64,868
Current deferred tax assets	2,227	2,227
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	72,914	61,848
Assets held for sale	5,849	7,033
Total current assets	1,823,950	1,928,982
Deferred tax assets	16,049	18,921
Other long-lived assets	33,895	40,163
Identified intangible assets, net	31,089	32,525
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,165,434	1,151,811
Total assets	3,070,417	3,172,402
Current maturities of long-term debt	205,357	410,234
Accounts payable	381,745	370,360
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC	6,144	3,934
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	275,730	283,355
Current deferred tax liabilities	15,495	15,515
Total current liabilities	884,471	1,083,398
Long-term debt, less current maturities	502,077	501,999
Deferred tax liabilities	10,452	13,944
Other long-term liabilities	87,428	80,459
Total liabilities	1,484,428	1,679,800
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	1,583,135	1,489,818
Noncontrolling interest	2,854	2,784
Total stockholders' equity	1,585,989	1,492,602	974,183	908,997
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,070,417	3,172,402
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
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	(8,181)	(7,190)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Assets held for sale
Total current assets	(8,768)	(7,777)
Intercompany receivable	(42,148)	(49,935)
Investment in subsidiaries	(501,431)	(472,431)
Deferred tax assets	(5,995)	(5,998)
Other long-lived assets	(180,000)	(180,000)
Identified intangible assets, net
Property, plant and equipment, net	(4,768)	(4,764)
Total assets	(743,110)	(720,905)
Current maturities of long-term debt
Accounts payable
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Income taxes payable	(587)	(587)
Current deferred tax liabilities	(7,190)	(7,190)
Total current liabilities	(7,777)	(7,777)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	(25,000)	(25,000)
Intercompany payable	(42,148)	(49,935)
Deferred tax liabilities	(6,986)	(5,995)
Other long-term liabilities
Total liabilities	(81,911)	(88,707)
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	(661,199)	(632,198)
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	(661,199)	(632,198)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(743,110)	(720,905)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	373,605	413,092	14,735	27,657
Investment in available-for-sale securities	37,005	96,902
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	328,375	327,367
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC	3,220	2,388
Inventories	680,895	696,604
Income taxes receivable	13,596	52,662
Current deferred tax assets		3,213
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	45,413	34,881
Assets held for sale	5,849	6,798
Total current assets	1,487,958	1,633,907
Intercompany receivable	(86,466)	(64,772)
Investment in subsidiaries	501,431	472,431
Deferred tax assets	5,995	5,995
Other long-lived assets	33,472	37,282
Identified intangible assets, net	22,482	23,463
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,023,140	1,009,711
Total assets	2,988,012	3,118,017
Current maturities of long-term debt	205,357	410,234
Accounts payable	320,458	308,154
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC	6,144	3,934
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	244,954	269,062
Income taxes payable
Current deferred tax liabilities	7,190	7,190
Total current liabilities	784,103	998,574
Long-term debt, less current maturities	527,077	526,999
Intercompany payable
Deferred tax liabilities	12,937	13,944
Other long-term liabilities	84,135	77,228
Total liabilities	1,408,252	1,616,745
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	1,579,760	1,501,272
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	1,579,760	1,501,272
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,988,012	3,118,017
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	1,409	1,380
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories	20,912	20,215
Income taxes receivable
Current deferred tax assets	9,902	5,698
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	260	270
Assets held for sale
Total current assets	32,483	27,563
Intercompany receivable	128,609	114,707
Investment in subsidiaries
Deferred tax assets
Other long-lived assets
Identified intangible assets, net
Property, plant and equipment, net	45,038	44,643
Total assets	206,130	186,913
Current maturities of long-term debt
Accounts payable	16,279	12,711
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	35,356	33,821
Income taxes payable
Current deferred tax liabilities
Total current liabilities	51,635	46,532
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Intercompany payable
Deferred tax liabilities	4,204	5,698
Other long-term liabilities
Total liabilities	55,839	52,230
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	150,291	134,683
Noncontrolling interest
Total stockholders' equity	150,291	134,683
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	206,130	186,913
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	141,370	95,114	28,825	40,523
Investment in available-for-sale securities
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	43,825	47,931
Account receivable from JBS USA, LLC
Inventories	91,709	92,013
Income taxes receivable	7,626	12,793
Current deferred tax assets	506	506
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	27,241	26,697
Assets held for sale		235
Total current assets	312,277	275,289
Intercompany receivable	5
Investment in subsidiaries
Deferred tax assets	16,049	18,924
Other long-lived assets	180,423	182,881
Identified intangible assets, net	8,607	9,062
Property, plant and equipment, net	102,024	102,221
Total assets	619,385	588,377
Current maturities of long-term debt
Accounts payable	45,008	49,495
Accounts payable to JBS USA, LLC
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(4,580)	(19,528)
Income taxes payable	587	587
Current deferred tax liabilities	15,495	15,515
Total current liabilities	56,510	46,069
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Intercompany payable	42,148	49,935
Deferred tax liabilities	297	297
Other long-term liabilities	3,293	3,231
Total liabilities	102,248	99,532
Total Pilgrim's Pride Corporation stockholders' equity	514,283	486,061
Noncontrolling interest	2,854	2,784
Total stockholders' equity	517,137	488,845
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 619,385	$ 588,377