Symptoms of Johne's disease
It is closely related to the organism that causes tuberculosis. The disease progressively damages the intestines of affected animals, and in cattle this results in profuse and persistent diarrhoea, severe weight loss, loss of condition and infertility. Affected animals eventually and inevitably die.
In dairy herds, the presence of Johne’s disease will significantly reduce milk yields well before other signs of the disease can be found.
Although not a notifiable disease in Great Britain, Johne’s disease is notifiable in Northern Ireland.