REPORTING SEGMENTS Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 28, 2013	Jan. 27, 2013	Oct. 28, 2012	Jul. 29, 2012	Apr. 29, 2012	Jan. 29, 2012	Oct. 30, 2011	Jul. 31, 2011	Apr. 28, 2013	Apr. 29, 2012	May 01, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	$ 3,320.7	$ 3,583.3	$ 3,225.8	$ 3,091.3	$ 3,209.2	$ 3,478.3	$ 3,312.6	$ 3,094.2	$ 13,221.1	$ 13,094.3	$ 12,202.7
Segment sales									15,679.7	15,612.3	14,384.4
Intersegment sales									(2,458.6)	(2,518.0)	(2,181.7)
Depreciation and amortization									239.9	242.8	231.9
Interest expense									168.7	176.7	245.4
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(15.0)	9.9	(50.1)
Operating profit	72.9	136.3	178.3	131.8	154.2	170.5	224.7	173.2	519.3	722.6	1,095.0
Total assets	7,716.4				7,422.2				7,716.4	7,422.2	7,611.8
Investments	532.4				522.6				532.4	522.6	582.5
Capital expenditures									278.0	290.7	176.8
Pork Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales									11,076.1	11,093.0	10,263.9
Intersegment sales									(41.4)	(37.1)	(30.5)
Depreciation and amortization									136.1	127.8	125.5
Interest expense									(5.5)	28.7	42.4
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(1.5)	(2.7)	(2.0)
Operating profit									631.6	623.7	753.4
Total assets	2,291.3				2,245.6				2,291.3	2,245.6	2,620.2
Investments	18.9				18.6				18.9	18.6	17.4
Capital expenditures									156.9	143.5	81.3
Hog Production Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales									3,135.1	3,052.6	2,705.1
Intersegment sales									(2,380.1)	(2,444.6)	(2,113.0)
Depreciation and amortization									63.8	71.9	65.7
Interest expense									167.0	131.8	124.5
(Income) loss from equity method investments									0.1	0.3	(0.4)
Operating profit									(119.1)	166.1	224.4
Total assets	2,299.2				2,145.4				2,299.2	2,145.4	2,074.2
Investments	3.1				2.6				3.1	2.6	2.7
Capital expenditures									90.0	89.4	68.6
International Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales									1,468.5	1,466.7	1,340.7
Intersegment sales									(37.1)	(36.3)	(38.2)
Depreciation and amortization									35.8	39.9	38.1
Interest expense									28.2	29.8	28.2
(Income) loss from equity method investments									(13.6)	12.3	(46.5)
Operating profit									108.2	42.8	115.9
Total assets	1,703.1				1,651.4				1,703.1	1,651.4	1,902.3
Investments	510.2				501.2				510.2	501.2	562.1
Capital expenditures									24.8	26.5	26.8
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales									0	0	74.7
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0.1
Interest expense									0	0	4.2
(Income) loss from equity method investments									0	0	(1.2)
Operating profit									0	0	(2.4)
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization									4.2	3.2	2.5
Interest expense									(21.0)	(13.6)	46.1
Operating profit									(101.4)	(110.0)	3.7
Total assets	1,422.8				1,379.8				1,422.8	1,379.8	1,015.1
Investments	0.2				0.2				0.2	0.2	0.3
Capital expenditures									$ 6.3	$ 31.3	$ 0.1