CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 27, 2016	Mar. 29, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,962,937	$ 2,052,919
Cost of sales	1,725,375	1,675,799
Gross profit	237,562	377,120
Selling, general and administrative expense	48,788	49,507
Operating income	188,774	327,613
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest	12,033	4,855
Interest income	(693)	(1,490)
Foreign currency transaction loss (gain)	(235)	8,974
Miscellaneous, net	(2,946)	(413)
Income before income taxes	180,615	315,687
Income tax expense	62,604	111,494
Net income	118,011	204,193
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(360)	(22)
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation	$ 118,371	$ 204,215
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	254,807	259,653
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)	340	276
Diluted (in shares)	255,147	259,929
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation per share of common stock outstanding:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.46	$ 0.79
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.46	$ 0.79