A young farmer and 16 cows died when they were felled by noxious fumes from cow manure.

Michael Biadasz, 29, who worked on his father's farm in Amherst, Wisconsin, was cleaning out a football field-sized tank of cow manure when he was found dead around 6:30am on Monday, reports WAOW.

Young farmer Michael Biadasz, 29, was overcome Monday by a dome of toxic air from a cow manure tank and killed

Sixteen of the farm's cows (above) were also killed when they got caught in the deadly air

He was found by other workers who arrived to help clean out the tank at Biadasz Farms.

Authorities say the young farmer was caught in a 'dome of air' when after 'agitating' the tank before it was to be pumped, warmer air trapped either methane or sulfur oxide fumes and he and the cows were caught in it.

Even though they were outside, the air was 'trapped' and there was nowhere for it to go. His father, Bob, said the tragedy was the 'perfect storm' of strange weather conditions and noxious fumes.

Biadasz Farms, above, is in Amherst, Wisconsin, and run by Michael's 'devastated' father, Bob

Other cows were sickened by the fumes but it's unclear how many.

Tragically, Michael 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.

According to his Facebook page, Michael went to Amherst High School and studied farming at Midstate College.