While cider vinegar has many health benefits for humans, Wairarapa cows are also reaping benefits from the vinegar as well as its by-product - apple pulp.
As the only cider vinegar-makers in Wairarapa, farmers turn to Mela Juice owner Andrew Wright for the product.
"I don't know what we would do with
the apple pulp if we didn't sell it to the farmers," Mr Wright said.
"We would have a great festering heap of it if they didn't take it - it's a really good arrangement.
"The apple pulp is full of sugar, so it gives the cows a real boost."
Bob Scott, who buys cider vinegar and apple pulp from Mr Wright, says the pulp is a good addition to the cow's diet.
"It's really good for balancing their diet but it's not so good as a diet by itself - it's one of those things that has to be mixed," he said.
Mr Scott milks 500 cows and uses half a tonne of apple pulp per day in their feed. "We would use three times that much if it was available."
He said the cider vinegar lowers the somatic cell count in the cows' milk, lessening the possibility of mastitis.
"If the cells creep up, we give them a shock treatment of 50ml per day," he said.
"The cells need to be low daily."
Mr Wright says although Mela Juice is the only place in Wairarapa making cider vinegar, the product has been used for hundreds of years.
"It has lots of health benefits - people take a shot of it with honey and hot water," he said.
"It's also really good for cleaning - people used to use it for cleaning ships."
