Liver necrosis and photosensitisation in cattle after eating P ersicaria lapathifolia (pale knotweed) and P ersicaria orientalis ( P rince's feather)

Cattle deaths in two contemporaneous incidents were attributed to acute intoxication with P ersicaria lapathifolia and P . orientalis when the plants were under heat and moisture stress. To our knowledge this is the first confirmed report of acute, fatal hepatic necrosis associated with ingestion of these plants.