The condition we now know as nitrate poisoning is not new. It is an old problem that has been recognized by livestock producers and the medical profession for at least 100 years. However, the danger of nitrate poisoning has become more important in recent years. Also, an increased awareness of the problem has resulted from information appearing in scientific and popular literature. Greater use of commercial nitrogen fertilizers, increased production and use of nitrate-accumulating feeds, improved feeding practices, improper sewage disposal, water contaminated by animal wastes, and the existence of diseases with similar symptoms have all added to the complexity of the problem.