Scientists at Aberystwyth University have discovered that bovine tuberculosis is evolving differently across Wales, raising the prospect of more targeted approaches to tackling the disease.

A new study, described as the most detailed genetic analysis of bovine TB in Wales to date, has identified distinct strains of the bacterium in different parts of the country.

Researchers also detected strains not normally found in Wales, which they say could be linked to cattle movements from elsewhere.

Bovine TB remains one of the most contentious issues facing Welsh agriculture, with the disease placing financial and emotional pressures on farmers and threatening cattle herds.

The research, led by scientists at Aberystwyth University's Sêr Cymru Centre of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis, examined 379 samples collected from infected animals across Wales in 2021. Using whole-genome sequencing, researchers analysed the DNA of the bacterium responsible for the disease, Mycobacterium bovis.

Their findings suggest that regional differences could affect how the bacterium survives, adapts and interacts with infected animals.

Dr Amy Healey, a lecturer in ecology at Aberystwyth University and the study's lead author, said the research demonstrated the importance of understanding transmission at a local level. She explained that analysing the bacterium's genetic sequences had produced the most detailed picture yet of its diversity in Wales.

Co-author Dr Amanda Gibson said the discovery of distinct genetic clusters, alongside evidence of potentially introduced strains, offered researchers important new avenues of investigation.

However, the scientists stressed that further research is needed to establish the significance of the genetic differences identified.

The study was conducted in partnership with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Queen's University Belfast.

Published in the journal Scientific Reports, it is intended to improve understanding of why bovine TB persists and inform future disease-control strategies.

The findings could prove particularly relevant to farming communities across Ceredigion and Powys, where efforts to control the disease remain a major agricultural concern.