CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 25, 2016
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 581,510	$ 292,544
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	8,021	4,979
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	565,478	445,553
Accounts receivable from related parties	2,951	4,010
Inventories	1,255,070	975,608
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	102,550	81,932
Assets held for sale	708	5,259
Total current assets	2,516,288	1,809,885
Other long-lived assets	18,165	19,260
Identified intangible assets, net	617,163	471,591
Goodwill	1,001,889	887,221
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,095,147	1,833,985
Total assets	6,248,652	5,021,942
Accounts payable	762,444	790,378
Accounts payable to related parties	2,889	4,468
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	417,342	347,021
Income taxes payable	222,073	27,578
Current maturities of long-term debt	47,775	15,712
Total current liabilities	1,452,523	1,185,157
Long-term debt, less current maturities	2,635,617	1,396,124
Deferred tax liabilities	208,492	251,807
Other long-term liabilities	96,359	102,722
Total liabilities	4,392,991	2,935,810
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued	0	0
Common stock, $.01 par value, 800,000,000 shares authorized; 260,167,881 and 259,682,000 shares issued at year-end 2017 and year-end 2016, respectively; 248,752,508 and 249,046,139 shares outstanding at year-end 2017 and year-end 2016, respectively	2,602	307,288
Treasury stock, at cost, 11,415,373 shares and 10,635,861 shares at year-end 2017 and year-end 2016, respectively	(231,758)	(217,117)
Additional paid-in capital	1,932,509	3,100,332
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	173,943	(782,785)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(31,140)	(329,858)
Total Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation stockholders’ equity	1,846,156	2,077,860
Noncontrolling interest	9,505	8,272
Total stockholders’ equity	1,855,661	2,086,132
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ 6,248,652	$ 5,021,942