Paratuberculosis (PTB) in cattle was diagnosed for the first time in one imported Danish Red Pied cow (1962), subsequently in one herd (1967) and in 16 herds (1984-1988) of grazing cattle originating from two areas where heifers were reared in the pastures in contact with imported cattle and sheep. However, cattle import into the family farms formed in those years (1990-1992) and subsequently into large farms (1993-1996) introduced PTB. According to OIE, 1.7 million head of cattle were kept in 5,405 farms in the year 1998. Analysis of data showed that 29,234 head of cattle in 428 groups were imported (1992-1998) and PTB was successively diagnosed in 84 (19.6%) groups before 2004. Since 1998, a national subsidized control programme based on the faecal-culture of all animals older than 18 months twice a year has been adopted. In the year 2003, 3,500 of 28,000 cattle herds could be considered as economically significant from the aspect of milk production. PTB is annually controlled in 25 to 30 herds, particularly of dairy cattle. The primary risk factor for the spread of PTB through the infected dairy cattle herds is represented by the widely used feeding of calves with mixed colostrum and milk, and the use of the progeny of infected dams in breeding. PTB is transmitted through cattle herds by cows and heifers purchased from cancelled herds and also by animals and bulls imported for natural breeding. The risk of spread of PTB to free living animals is above all represented by the introduced extensive grazing system of cattle. The introduction of the certificate programme should better motivate the farmers to both sanitation of infected herds and purchase of animals from non-infected herds.