Mycobacteria play an important role in human and animal health fields. Here we examined the place of NonTuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) infections in the veterinary context. In this review relevant aspects regarding a reference laboratory experience and the literature review are presented. Importance is given as regards productivity lose per se but also to economic losses due to misdiagnosis with bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis. The importance of the role played by NTM is variable depending on the part of the world, ecology, husbandry, extent of surveillance programs and bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis prevalence. The role in animal disease of the most relevant NTM are summarized with a focus on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis which occupies a particularly important position, being the causative agent of paratuberculosis, a disease responsible of high economic consequences for ruminant livestock.