Donald McQueen Shaver OC, (born August 12, 1920) was a Canadian pioneer[2] in the poultry industry, who founded a breeding company that achieved worldwide prominence.

[3] During his war service, New York State College was caring for his breeding stock and hatching eggs, but the entire flock was consumed by fire in 1944.

Returning home, Shaver would eventually regard this as a lucky break, as he was forced to search widely for diversified breeding stock.

[3] The principle of hybrid vigour had been well established for corn, but the costs and time required to test chicken crosses were higher.

[10] Shaver enjoyed good industrial infrastructure, with easy highway access to Toronto airport.

The Ontario Agricultural College (now part of the University of Guelph) was only half an hour away, with the Poultry Department providing diagnostic work, nutrition and disease consultation.

In 1954, the Shaver "Starcross 288" was introduced, named for the number of eggs it laid in one of the initial tests, which surpassed other breeders.

[11][7] Part of the 288's initial success may have been due to its resistance to Marek's disease; as better vaccines became available, the 288 lost some of its advantages.

The egg layer business kept the Shaver name, and was sold as Natexis Industrie in 2003, and then to Hendrix Genetics in 2005.