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     The last table shows a comparison of ice cream with some food articles found in the dessert class. Most people think of ice cream as a dessert, to be eaten when one has had a full meal of meat and vegetables. As a matter of fact it has high food value and should he used as a part of a balanced meal instead of being needlessly consumed after a full meal as is so often the case.

     Cottage cheese ranks higher as a meat substitute than almost any other dairy product; that is, it contains a larger percentage of protein or body building material than most meats, and has the advantage of being much less expensive. The following table compiled by the United States Dairy Division gives the protein value of one pound of cottage cheese as compared with that of meats of various kinds:

     This table is particularly significant when one remembers the high prices of meats and the relatively low cost of cottage cheese. Furthermore, cottage cheese may be made into a number of savory dishes in combination with vegetables to make it more agreeable to those who do not like it plain as ordinarily served.

     Skim milk which is often wasted or used solely as animal feed has a food value of great importance, and one to be taken into account when it is necessary to conserve carefully all food supplies. Among

European peoples skim milk is used as one of the chief sources of muscle building material.

     After having pointed out the food values of dairy products and their relative cheapness when compared with other food articles, which they can in large measure replace and release for export, let us see what must be done to keep up an ever-increasing supply of these products, in the face of the constantly mounting production costs.

     Enough data on milk production has been gathered to prove conclusively that the dairy cow produces human food cheaper than any other animal on the farm; that no other animal can take the roughage, hay, grasses, corn fodder and corn silage and the by-products from our food factories and mills and in return give so much nourishing human food stuff. For example, it has been shown that one cow, if slaughtered will provide sufficient meat for two soldiers for one year, while the milk from the same cow will yield equivalent food material for twenty soldiers for one year. To show further the economy of the dairy cow, it is of interest to know that Katy Gerben, University of Nebraska dairy cow, has in seven consecutive milking periods produced as much digestible food material as is contained in the carcasses of 47 steers. To this might he added the fact that she has raised seven calves whose value has not been computed. Also the fact should not be overlooked that dairying contributes in large measure to the direct beef output of the nation by the slaughter of superannuated dairy animals and the baby beef not needed for breeding purposes. Statistics tell us that practically all of Denmark's beef supply comes from this source. How large a per cent of our meat supply is furnished in this way, we have no figures to prove, but it is safe to say that it is large enough to count as an important factor at the present time.

      Legal prosecution of dairymen or sensational boycotts can ultimately have but one result--that of driving the too frequently overworked dairymen into other fields of agriculture, resulting in a short supply and a still higher price. A full realization of the favorable comparison of dairy products with other food articles together with the definite knowledge of the increased cost of producing dairy products will convince the consumer of the justness of the dairyman's demands for such increase in price as will give him reasonable returns for his dairy investment and stimulate him to further production.

     Looking beyond the economic and financial considerations, it must be admitted that no laborer in the field of agriculture is rendering a more patriotic service than the dairyman in adding to the supply of a much needed food product. He feels partially repaid for his efforts. I am sure, in the thought that he is doing his share to help win the war and lessen the sufferings of his fellow man.

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© 2002 for the NEGenWeb Project by Pam Rietsch, Ted & Carole Miller