--- title: On farm gut health monitoring – an essential tool!  description: It is estimated that gut health issues (enteritis) are responsible for around 50% to 70% of antibiotic use in most poultry veterinary practices in Europe.  image: https://info.kemin.com/hubfs/webbannerlayinghen.jpg --- [![Logo Kemin](https://info.kemin.com/hubfs/LLP/Logos/Logo-Kemin.svg) ](https://lifelonglearningtool.kemin.com) Menu On farm gut health monitoring – an essential tool!  Categories: Poultry  |  Veterinary Nutritionals By Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health on 12 May 2020 *Read time: 2 minutes* # wet litter In general, it is estimated that gut health issues (enteritis) are responsible for around 50% to 70% of antibiotic use in most poultry veterinary practices in Europe.  First sign of gut health problems is [wet litter](https://info.kemin.com/blog/wet-litter), but causative agents can be multiple,  not necessarily a bacterial problem as primary cause. Very often when wet litter occurs, antibiotic treatment is started without proper diagnosis or laboratory analyses. > An important tool to reduce antibiotic use is to improve and standardize diagnostics through a gut health monitoring system and to set thresholds when to start an intervention. Clinical and pathological findings will result in correct diagnosis, allowing correct treatment (short-term) and implementation of a long-term preventive strategy avoiding antibiotic use. As it concerns a long-term strategy, supplements improving intestinal health can be used in preventative dosages. On a short term, when treatment is needed to solve an acute issue, dosage of the supplementation can be increased temporarily to a treatment dosage. It is clear that in the context of moving away from a treatment approach (with antibiotics) to a preventative approach, gut health monitoring on farm will become even more important.  > Practical guidelines to perform a correct gut health monitoring on farm include:  > > - Necropsy at least 5 birds per house > - Perform the monitoring immediately after euthanasia, not on already dead birds > - Enough light, daylight is preferable Below tutorial shows how to perform a correct gut health monitoring.   We also created a gut health monitoring form. You can download it here:  [![Download your guide towards optimal intestinal health here](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/257852/a6803f9c-f880-4854-ab41-5664b1d694e1.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/257852/a6803f9c-f880-4854-ab41-5664b1d694e1) ### Also interesting [ ### A preventive health approach for a more productive farm Today, as a member of the animal protein industry you are facing several challenges. Often conflicting challenges of consumer ... ** Read more ](https://info.kemin.com/blog/preventive-health-approach-for-a-more-productive-farm) [ ### Preventive health solutions for healthier animals and humans Today, as a member of the animal protein industry you are facing several challenges. Often conflicting challenges of consumer ... ** Read more ](https://info.kemin.com/blog/preventive-health-solutions-for-healthier-animals) [ ### A preventive health approach to improve your profitability Today, as a member of the animal protein industry you are facing several challenges. Often conflicting challenges of consumer ... ** Read more ](https://info.kemin.com/blog/preventive-health-approach-to-improve-your-profitability) [![logo-white](https://info.kemin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/KAE/identity/logos/logo-white.png?width=172&height=54&name=logo-white.png "logo-white")](https://www.kemin.com) - [![](https://info.kemin.com/hubfs/KAE/social/icons/social-icon-facebook-kemintheme.png)](https://www.facebook.com/KeminIndustries) - [![](https://info.kemin.com/hubfs/KAE/social/icons/social-icon-twitter-kemintheme.png)](https://twitter.com/KeminInd) - [![](https://info.kemin.com/hubfs/KAE/social/icons/social-icon-linkedin-kemintheme.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kemin-industries/?trk=similar-companies_org_image) © Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2026 all rights reserved. ® ™ Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., USA Certain statements may not be applicable in all geographical regions. Product labeling and associated claims may differ based upon government requirements. ![](https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=1491378&fmt=gif)