Bracken poisoning and enzootic haematuria in cattle in China

Abstract

Acute bracken poisoning and enzootic haematuria are believed to have occurred in cattle in China for a long time. It is only in the past 10 years, however, that these diseases associated with the consumption of bracken ferns have been studied in detail and this paper reviews these recent studies. Based on a large scale survey, both conditions were found to be serious problems with a wide geographical distribution, especially in the mountainous regions of southwest China. Epidemiological and experimental work revealed that two species of bracken ferns, Pteridium aquilinum and Pteridium revolutum, were associated with these diseases, but the latter seems more important in China.