A major problem that has emerged in livestock farming over time is antibiotic resistance. This bears the potential to threaten public health, as there is a risk that these resistances could spread to humans. Therefore, the state is obliged to take action and evaluate strategies for containment and future prevention.

This thesis examines if voluntary approaches could be used for this purpose, exemplified by the Swiss dairy sector. The aim is to provide policy makers with concrete suggestions for possible designs of such programs and provide critical information which lay the foundation for effective decision-making.

In Article 1, the status quo with regard to the frequency of antibiotic use is initially assessed. Article 2 analyzes if participation in an already existing animal welfare program affects the use of antibiotics. Finally, Article 3 examines the extent and under which circumstances farmers would participate in a subsidized veterinary herd health management program.