General (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2015 segment	Sep. 27, 2014	Jun. 28, 2014	Mar. 29, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013	Jun. 29, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Jan. 03, 2015 weeks segment	Dec. 28, 2013 weeks	Dec. 29, 2012 weeks	Dec. 18, 2013	Dec. 29, 2013 segment	Jan. 07, 2014 continent	Oct. 28, 2013
General [Line Items]
Number of Operating Segments	3								3				3
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Number Of Weeks Year To Date									53	52	52
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Investments Classified As Cash Equivalents, Original Maturity									3 months
Goodwill [Abstract]
Goodwill	$ 1,320,419,000				$ 701,637,000				$ 1,320,419,000	$ 701,637,000	$ 381,369,000
Basic:
Net income									64,215,000	108,967,000	130,770,000
Shares									164,627,000	119,526,000	117,592,000
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.42	$ 0.09	$ 0.20	$ (0.32)	$ 0.18	$ 0.23	$ 0.22	$ 0.27	$ 0.39	$ 0.91	$ 1.11
Effect of dilutive securities: [Abstract]
Add: Option shares in the money and dilutive effect of non-vested stock									806,000	848,000	806,000
Less: Pro forma treasury shares									(374,000)	(450,000)	(309,000)
Diluted:
Net Income									64,215,000	108,967,000	130,770,000
Shares									165,059,000	119,924,000	118,089,000
Per Share	$ 0.42	$ 0.09	$ 0.20	$ (0.32)	$ 0.18	$ 0.23	$ 0.22	$ 0.27	$ 0.39	$ 0.91	$ 1.11
Stock Based Compensation [Abstract]
Stock-based compensation expense									20,900,000	9,400,000	8,900,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense									5,900,000	3,700,000	3,500,000
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation									2,420,000	1,138,000	2,652,000
Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	2,152,440,000				886,835,000				2,152,440,000	886,835,000
Foreign currency translation									(125,884,000)	(14,502,000)	0
Foreign currency gains (losses)				12,600,000					(13,548,000)	28,107,000	0
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), Unrealized					27,500,000				0	27,516,000	0
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Assets [Member]
Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), Unrealized										27,500,000
Stock Options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount									319,240	135,733	207,890
Non Vested Stock [Member]
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount									751,444	57,257	105,486
Vion Ingredients [Member]
General [Line Items]
Expected Business Combination, Number of Continents in which Entity Operates														5
Goodwill [Abstract]
Goodwill														702,672,000
Rothsay [Member]
Goodwill [Abstract]
Goodwill															262,797,000
Minimum [Member]
General [Line Items]
Number of Processing and Transfer Facilities	200								200
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Number Of Weeks Year To Date									52
Minimum [Member] | Buildings and improvements [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									15 years
Minimum [Member] | Machinery and equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									3 years
Minimum [Member] | Vehicles [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									3 years
Minimum [Member] | Aircraft [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									7 years
Minimum [Member] | Routes [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									5 years
Minimum [Member] | Permits [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									10 years
Minimum [Member] | Non-compete agreements [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									3 years
Minimum [Member] | Trade Names [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									4 years
Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Number Of Weeks Year To Date									53
Maximum [Member] | Buildings and improvements [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									30 years
Maximum [Member] | Machinery and equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									10 years
Maximum [Member] | Vehicles [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									8 years
Maximum [Member] | Aircraft [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									10 years
Maximum [Member] | Routes [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									21 years
Maximum [Member] | Permits [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									20 years
Maximum [Member] | Non-compete agreements [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									7 years
Maximum [Member] | Trade Names [Member]
Long Lived Assets [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									15 years
Common Stock [Member]
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)												46,000,000
Best Hides GmbH [Member] | Vion Ingredients [Member]
General [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired														60.00%
Net Investment Hedging [Member]
Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Foreign currency gains (losses)									$ (12,600,000)