Dairy is not necessary. You can get everything dairy gives in veggies. I haven't had any dairy in 7 years and I am the picture of health. Don't let the Dairy industry fool you into making them richer than they already are ! If it was up to me they wouldn't exist. Milk is for baby cows. I drank my mother's milk when I was a baby, and that's the only milk I need in this lifetime.