<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-12-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100493</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TYSON FOODS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TSN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001415534</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>King Donnie</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPRINGDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72762</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr Grp VP Poultry &amp; Prepared F</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>57</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>51323</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>91</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8389</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Employee Stock Purchase Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>242</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Retirement Savings Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>242</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.28</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Retirement Savings Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>950</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Joint IRA Account</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 57 shares of the Issuer's restricted Class A Common Stock acquired by the Reporting Person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Tyson Foods, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents 91 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased for the Reporting Person's account under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents 1 share of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock received by the Reporting Person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Retirement Savings Plan of Tyson Foods, Inc. since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">These shares were sold pursuant to a requirement of the Retirement Savings Plan of Tyson Foods, Inc. that all participants in the plan, which included the Reporting Person, divest any shares of the Issuer held by the plan on their behalf.  The Reporting Person has voluntarily sold the shares in advance of January 3, 2011, the date on which the plan will begin selling, on behalf of the plan participants, any previously unsold shares of the Issuer.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Donnie King</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-12-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2010-12-20
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
TSN
0001415534
King Donnie
2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
Sr Grp VP Poultry & Prepared F
Class A Common Stock
2010-12-15
5
J
0
E
57
0
A
51323
D
Class A Common Stock
2010-12-15
5
J
0
E
91
0
A
8389
I
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock
2010-12-15
5
J
0
E
1
0
A
242
I
Retirement Savings Plan
Class A Common Stock
2010-12-20
5
S
0
E
242
17.28
D
0
I
Retirement Savings Plan
Class A Common Stock
950
I
Joint IRA Account
Represents 57 shares of the Issuer's restricted Class A Common Stock acquired by the Reporting Person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Tyson Foods, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
Represents 91 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased for the Reporting Person's account under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.
Represents 1 share of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock received by the Reporting Person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Retirement Savings Plan of Tyson Foods, Inc. since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
These shares were sold pursuant to a requirement of the Retirement Savings Plan of Tyson Foods, Inc. that all participants in the plan, which included the Reporting Person, divest any shares of the Issuer held by the plan on their behalf.  The Reporting Person has voluntarily sold the shares in advance of January 3, 2011, the date on which the plan will begin selling, on behalf of the plan participants, any previously unsold shares of the Issuer.
Donnie King
2010-12-22