CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014	Dec. 29, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 645,962	$ 711,438	$ 549,713
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	158,975	155,824	150,523
Asset impairment	4,813	0	4,004
Foreign currency transaction losses	0	38,129	3,382
Accretion of bond discount	0	2,243	456
Loss (gain) on property disposals	(10,372)	(1,407)	2,395
Share-based compensation	2,975	4,928	3,345
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)	29,512	78,943	(4,999)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts and other receivables	61,294	(9,526)	7,235
Inventories	57,078	10,638	142,675
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	19,840	(38,010)	(6,070)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	61,882	44,833	49,625
Income taxes	(55,428)	74,705	(21,546)
Deposits	0	0	1,877
Long-term pension and other postretirement obligations	(3,500)	(5,784)	(6,837)
Other	3,797	(262)	2,755
Cash provided by operating activities	976,828	1,066,692	878,533
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(175,764)	(171,443)	(116,223)
Purchase of acquired business, net of cash acquired	(373,532)	0	0
Purchases of investment securities	0	(55,100)	(96,902)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities	0	152,050	0
Proceeds from property disposals	14,610	11,108	31,337
Cash used in investing activities	(534,686)	(63,385)	(181,788)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from notes payable to banks	28,726	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	1,680,000	0	505,600
Payments on long-term debt	(683,780)	(910,234)	(758,578)
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary common stock	0	332	0
Proceeds from equity contribution under Tax Sharing Agreement between JBS USA Food Company Holdings and Pilgrim's Pride Corporation	0	3,849	0
Tax benefit related to share-based compensation	6,474	458	7,771
Payment of capitalized loan costs	(12,364)	0	(5,007)
Purchase of treasury stock	(99,233)	0	0
Payment of special cash dividend	(1,498,470)	0	0
Cash used in financing activities	(578,647)	(905,595)	(250,214)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	(29,775)	(6,505)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(136,505)	67,937	440,026
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	576,143	508,206	68,180
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	439,638	576,143	508,206
Supplemental Disclosure Information:
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	24,210	71,558	80,320
Income taxes paid	$ 360,347	$ 257,152	$ 30,057