Milk has been extracted from other mammals for human use for many thousands of years - perhaps as many as eleven thousand, depending on which region of the planet is looked at - following the domestication of mammals. Cows are the most common source of milk, especially when it is intended to be consumed as a liquid, but there are other domestic animals. Along with cows, sheep and goats were the earliest dairy animals domesticated, and the latter two are still used for their milk, although this milk is less commonly consumed as a drink in general than cow's milk is. Other animals such as buffalo are also sources. Milk from dairy animals other than cows is quite commonly used to make milk-based products such as cheeses.
As milk became more commercial, and households stopped having access to their own sources of dairy animals, it began to be delivered to households on a daily basis. Daily, because milk goes off very quickly if not refrigerated. As domestic refrigeration improved, and with the development of other techniques for increasing the lifespan of milk, home delivery became less common.
As well as the typical cow's milk, and that from other dairy animals, there are a number of other white coloured liquids that do not have a dairy origin, and don't even have any animal origin at all - which is useful for strict vegetarians, like vegans. These include types such as soy, coconut, rice and almond milk. Non-dairy milks have seen a rise in popularity, and are often used as a substitute for regular milk.
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