XML 71 R83.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Derivative Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements - Carrying Value and Fair Value of Senior Notes and Subsidiary Senior Notes (Detail) (USD $)
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Nov. 12, 2013
Subsidiary debt obligations | Senior Notes Due 2017      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Senior Notes, Carrying Value $ 134,913,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2017Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		 $ 132,808,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2017Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		  
Senior Notes, Fair Value 151,230,000us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2017Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		 153,005,000us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2017Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		  
Dean Foods Company | Senior Notes Due 2016      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Senior Notes, Carrying Value 475,819,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2016Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		 475,579,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2016Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		  
Senior Notes, Fair Value 507,140,000us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2016Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		 527,378,000us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2016Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		  
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount     400,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchasedFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2016Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Dean Foods Company | Senior Notes Due 2018      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Senior Notes, Carrying Value 0us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2018Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		 23,812,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2018Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		  
Senior Notes, Fair Value 0us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2018Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		 26,908,000us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2018Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember		  
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount $ 24,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchasedFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= df_SeniorNotesDue2018Member
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember