Donald Shaver search widely for diversified breeding stock. Local breeders, knowing his reputation were reluctant to sell to him for fear of competition. In 1946, there were 256 registered chicken breeders in Canada. Shaver Poultry became the 257th. By 1958, only Shaver remained, along with seven other major poultry breeders worldwide. The principle of hybrid vigour had been well established for corn, but the costs and time required to test chicken crosses were higher. Small breeders (as Shaver was at the time) could not afford permanent scientific staff, so Shaver obtained assistance from geneticists conducting research at universities and government institutions. Shaver
Donald Shaver the advice of C.D. Howe, Shaver expanded outside Canada in the late 1950s. Chile was the first international market, followed by the USA, the UK, France and Germany. By 1957, Shaver had a Romanian operation, and in 1970 one in Ghana. At his retirement in 1985, his company was operating in 94 countries. In 1988, Shaver, by their own calculation had 33% of the world market for white egg laying hens and 25% for all egg layers. Shaver launched a broiler product in 1958. In the early 1970s, the market share in the US was around 8-10%. Cargill purchased part