Milk. Studies have found milk is actually a better hydration agent than water. Despite this, the volume of milk consumed in the United States has fallen 37 percent from 30 years ago. In fact the US has lost over 1,000,000 dairy farms since their heyday back in 1940. Back then there were 2,300 dairy cooperatives. Today there are 196. That has fallen 86% since 2002. Only 5 of them account for 50% of the milk produced in the country. California accounts for one fifth of all milk production in the US. There has definitely been a push for economies of scale, even though there are dairies in every 50 states. Yet despite the push for consolidation, 98% of dairies are still family owned. The old custom of having milk delivered to your front door was actually begun in 1942 as a war conservation move. I’m not sure of the rational behind the move other than an excuse to increase consumption.
Pasteurization was actually discovered in 1775, but it wasn’t until 65,000 people died of tuberculosis in England and Wales between 1912-1937, that milk pasteurization became common practice. In the United States, all 50 states began to oblige states to mandate the process, but it took between 1947-1973, to get all the states to comply.
The average cow produces 6.3 gallons of milk a day. It takes 350 udder squirts to produce a gallon. A cow will eat 100 pounds of feed and 50 gallons of water a day. Milk is the only food you can survive wholly on, having every nutrient your body needs to live.