Guelph Grad Story: Animal Geneticist, Ryley Vanderhout
Data Helps Feed the World: Ryley Vanderhout’s Journey from Biology Student to Turkey Geneticist
When Ryley Vanderhout began his undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Guelph, his sights were set on veterinary school. Like many students, he was passionate about animals but didn’t imagine a future in agriculture. Raised in Mississauga, Ontario, farming and food production were distant concepts.
That all changed when Ryley took a course called Animal Breeding Methods at OAC during his fourth year, taught by Dr. Christine Baes, a renowned animal geneticist. The course opened his eyes to a world where biology, mathematics, computer science and agriculture intersected in powerful and practical ways.
During his PhD degree, Ryley was part of the $6 million GAP-Turkey Project to help incorporate genomic data into turkey breeding. He worked closely with commercial producers to analyze traits that impact meat quality and sustainability.
“Being trusted to lead that kind of research as a PhD student was an incredible experience,” says Ryley. “We were producing new data, writing our own algorithms, and seeing how our work could directly impact food production in Canada and beyond.”
“I didn’t come from a farming background. Once I understood how much math and science could be applied to real-world challenges like food security, and agriculture, I was hooked.”
Cracking the Code Behind Better Turkeys
Today, Ryley Vanderhout is a geneticist at Hybrid Turkeys, part of the global animal genetics company Hendrix Genetics. Ryley helps their breeding team to create the most efficient, healthy, and productive turkeys possible by using vast datasets, algorithms, and artificial intelligence.
Each day, Ryley analyzes a massive amount of data like feed conversion rates to meat quality traits and applies AI models to help determine which birds should be bred for the next generation. It’s a delicate balance of biology, statistics, and technology, where the goal is to create animals that are not only more efficient to raise, but also better for the environment and the animal.
“We work with hundreds of variables per bird, like genomic markers, CT scans, production metrics. We manage and analyze the data, then turn that into action farmers can use.”
A STEM Career Rooted in Purpose
Each line of code he writes has a real-world ripple effect which leads to healthier animals, more efficient food systems, and reduced environmental impact.
It’s a perfect example of how a STEM education can lead to a career that’s both innovative and meaningful.
“People don’t always associate agriculture with data science or AI, but our industry is doing some of the most advanced analytics out there. We’re talking about 700 million individual animal measurements, millions of breeding values.”
Whether you want to work in genetics, climate resilience, animal welfare, or sustainable food systems, the agricultural sciences are filled with opportunities to make a real impact.
“You don’t have to grow up on a farm to be part of agriculture,” Ryley emphasizes. “You just need curiosity, problem-solving skills, and a desire to help feed the world.”