US Farmer and his cows die from manure fumes in 'deadly dome of air'

Farmer Michael Biadasz, 29, and 16 cows were killed by a dome of toxic air from a cow manure tank. Photo / Facebook

A farmer and 16 cows have died after a being trapped in "deadly dome of air" while he was cleaning out a paddock of cow manure.

WAOW reports that Michael Biadasz, 29, who worked on his father's farm in Wisconsin, was found dead around 6:30am on Monday.

Biadasz was overcome by either methane or sulphur oxide fumes that got trapped in a "deadly dome of air" but more investigation will be needed to know exactly, the coroner said.

His father, Bob, said the tragedy was the "perfect storm" of strange weather conditions and noxious fumes.

Authorities say the young farmer was caught in a "deadly dome of air" when after "agitating" the tank before it was to be pumped.

Tragically, Michael Biadasz had cleaned out the tank hundreds of times before without incident.

"The family is devastated, absolutely devastated," said Portage County Coroner Scott Rifleman, according to the outlet

"He was the kind of son you could only dream of," Michael's dad Bob Biadasz said. "He would morning to night farm."

"When he broke up that hard crust basically the methane or sulphur dioxide came out of the manure and was sitting there because there was a heavy fog mass," Bob Biadasz said. "It [the gasses] typically would go up in the air and dissipate."

The gases did not dissipate because of the weather conditions and the toxic levels overcame Michael.

"It was the perfect disastrous storm to happen," Mr Biadasz said. "It was a matter of seconds. It was tasteless, odourless and he was gone. Just like that."

Mr Biadasz said this situation was a freak accident and something no farmer would ever expect.

"Any father's dream is to have a son like him," he said. "And to lose him to something foolish like this, is tough."

"I was a very fortunate father to have a son of Mike's magnitude, to work with and to love," Mr Biadasz said.

Family and friends are paying tribute to Mike by lining up farm equipment on the country road the Biadasz Family Farm sits on.