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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-11-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001477415</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kimbro Ken</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>EVP &amp; Chief HR Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-11-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>111</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2244</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Employee Stock Purchase Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40549</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>19.36</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-11-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>34700</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>19.36</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2013-11-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-11-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>34700</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>34700</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-11-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22314</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>22314</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22314</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 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 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="F2">The stock options vest at 33 1/3% on the first anniversary date of the grant and 33 1/3% for each of the following two years.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Award of performance Class A Common Stock which vests on the fourth business day following the filing of the Issuer's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its 2015 fiscal year if the performance metrics described in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement (the &quot;Incentive Agreement&quot;) are achieved.  The performance metrics are (1) achievement of a three year (fiscal 2013-2015) cumulative EBIT target as set forth in the Incentive Agreement and (2) a comparison of the market price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies selected by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Issuer over a three year (fiscal 2013-2015) period, as more particularly described in the Incentive Agreement.  If neither of the performance metrics is achieved, the award expires.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ R. Read Hudson by Power of Attorney for Ken Kimbro</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-11-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9582}]
X0306
4
2012-11-26
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
TSN
0001477415
Kimbro Ken
2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
EVP & Chief HR Officer
Class A Common Stock
2012-11-21
5
J
0
E
111
0
A
2244
I
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock
40549
D
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy)
19.36
2012-11-26
4
A
0
34700
19.36
A
2013-11-26
2022-11-26
Class A Common Stock
34700
34700
D
Performance Shares
2012-11-26
4
A
0
22314
A
Class A Common Stock
22314
22314
D
Represents 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 Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person.  Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.
The stock options vest at 33 1/3% on the first anniversary date of the grant and 33 1/3% for each of the following two years.
Award of performance Class A Common Stock which vests on the fourth business day following the filing of the Issuer's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its 2015 fiscal year if the performance metrics described in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement (the "Incentive Agreement") are achieved.  The performance metrics are (1) achievement of a three year (fiscal 2013-2015) cumulative EBIT target as set forth in the Incentive Agreement and (2) a comparison of the market price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies selected by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Issuer over a three year (fiscal 2013-2015) period, as more particularly described in the Incentive Agreement.  If neither of the performance metrics is achieved, the award expires.
/s/ R. Read Hudson by Power of Attorney for Ken Kimbro
2012-11-28