Payments to Acquire Business, Net of Cash Acquired

No definition available.

Name:	crl_PaymentstoAcquireBusinessNetofCashAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	crl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For receivables acquired in a business combination, excluding certain loans and debt securities acquired in a transfer (as defined), this element represents the gross contractual amounts receivable, by major class of receivable, such as loans, direct finance leases (as defined), and any other class of receivables.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of other assets expected to be realized or consumed before one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients for goods or services, including trade receivables, that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, and amounts due from others, including related parties expected to be converted to cash, sold or exchanged within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt due within one year or within the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesLongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of other liabilities due within one year or within the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of identifiable intangible assets recognized as of the acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 37

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744172&loc=d3e2207-128464

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56956791&loc=d3e4845-128472

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of inventory recognized as of the acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56956791&loc=d3e4845-128472

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 37

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744172&loc=d3e2207-128464

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of other liabilities due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNoncurrentLiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of other assets expected to be realized or consumed after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of property, plant, and equipment recognized as of the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=crl_CelsisInternationalLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Business Acquisitions - Celsis Purchase Price Allocation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 26, 2015	Jul. 24, 2015	Dec. 27, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 418,245		$ 321,077
Celsis
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Accounts receivable (contractual amount)		$ 5,410
Accounts receivable, net		5,288
Inventory		10,103
Other current assets (excluding cash)		13,449
Property, plant and equipment		5,086
Other long term assets		614
Definite-lived intangible assets		118,140
Goodwill		104,785
Short-term debt		(9,766)
Other current liabilities		(7,382)
Long term liabilities		(28,593)
Total purchase price allocation		$ 211,724