Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) causes progressive wasting and diarrhoea in cattle, and control programmes reduce both welfare impact and zoonotic disease risk.
Johne's disease causes a prolonged, progressive deterioration in welfare - affected cattle lose weight, develop profuse diarrhoea and suffer for months before becoming critically ill. The chronic nature of the disease means many affected animals suffer for extended periods before being identified and culled. Early testing and culling, combined with preventive measures for calves, reduces this welfare burden.