It agreed that “necessary measures” can be taken to combat the possible transmission of tuberculosis to Swiss cattle from contaminated deer in neighbouring Austria.
It also gave the green light for a vaccination campaign for cattle to protect them against lumpy skin disease, a statement (in French/German)External link on Wednesday said.
In a further measure, the government agreed to extend an animal databaseExternal link to include sheep and goats. Holders of such animals must notify the authorities of births, deaths, imports, exports as well as sales.
Most of the new measures are due to come into force in June. The registration duty will be introduced by 2020.
A similar system has been in place for bovines since 2000. It was later extended to include horses, donkeys and pigs. Four years ago, it also became mandatory to register the slaughter of fowl, sheep and goats.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Veterinary office lifts quarantine for Swiss chicken farm
This content was published on
A poultry farm in southern Switzerland has been given a clean bill of health following a recent outbreak of the virulent Newcastle virus.
This content was published on
Rodent plague, a bacterial infection, is spreading among people in Switzerland amid a growing number of incidents with tick bites.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.