Cattle Johnes Disease: Welfare Management in Dairy Herds in 2026

Johnes disease (paratuberculosis) is a chronic, progressive, and fatal intestinal disease in cattle causing significant welfare compromise through wasting, diarrhoea, and secondary complications.

Key Facts

Johnes disease is caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis and is endemic in most dairy herds globally
Clinical signs typically appear in cattle 3-5 years old, though infection occurs in the first few months of life
Affected cows experience progressive weight loss, protein-losing enteropathy, diarrhoea, and eventual recumbency
No treatment is available — management focuses on test-and-cull protocols and biosecurity to reduce spread

Welfare Considerations

Clinical Johnes disease causes prolonged, progressive welfare compromise. Protein-losing enteropathy causes severe weight loss, bottle jaw from oedema, and chronic diarrhoea. Affected cows spend increasing periods recumbent and are unable to compete for feed. Secondary complications including mastitis and lameness compound suffering. The welfare decision to cull affected cows promptly rather than allow natural disease progression is the most direct welfare intervention. Herd-level control through test-and-cull, management hygiene, and biosecurity reduces the number of calves infected — addressing welfare at source.

What You Can Do

Implement a Johnes disease herd health plan with your vet that includes regular ELISA testing
Cull confirmed clinical cases promptly rather than attempting prolonged management
Prevent calves from exposure to slurry and faeces from adult cows to reduce infection at source
Join Johnes disease control programmes that provide structured support for herd-level reduction