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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-04-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001450640</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Webster Jeffrey</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>Group VP Renewable Products</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1191</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10466</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>2010-04-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>69244</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 1,191 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 acquistions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On March 22, 2010, the Reporting Person placed an order with his broker to sell 10,000 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock if the market price went to $20.00 per share, which occured on the transaction date reported herein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>R. Read Hudson by Power of Attorney for Jeffrey Webster</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-04-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2010-04-12
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
TSN
0001450640
Webster Jeffrey
2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
Group VP Renewable Products
Class A Common Stock
2010-03-31
5
J
0
E
1191
0
A
10466
I
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock
2010-04-12
4
S
0
10000
20
D
69244
D
Represents 1,191 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 acquistions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.
On March 22, 2010, the Reporting Person placed an order with his broker to sell 10,000 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock if the market price went to $20.00 per share, which occured on the transaction date reported herein.
R. Read Hudson by Power of Attorney for Jeffrey Webster
2010-04-13