Bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) are a paraphyletic group of DNA viruses of the subfamily Firstpapillomavirinae of Papillomaviridae that are common in cattle.

BPVs have been used as a model for studying papillomavirus molecular biology and for dissecting the mechanisms by which this group of viruses cause cancer.

The open reading frames (ORFs) are all located on one strand, and are divided into early and late regions.

[7] Warts caused by the Xipapillomavirus group have a cauliflower-like appearance and can attain the size of a fist; most common on the head, neck and shoulders, they may also occur in other locations.

[3] Fibropapillomas can be troublesome when present in the genital area, causing pain and sometimes loss of reproductive functions as well as interfering with calving.

[3][7] Chronically immunosuppressed animals may develop extensive papillomatosis in the upper gastrointestinal tract, which can cause difficulties with eating and breathing.

[3] Such cancers are common in locations where grazing land is infested with bracken, such as the western Scottish Highlands, southern Italy and the Nasampolai Valley in Kenya.

Human papillomavirus DNA has been detected in around 18% of squamous cell carcinomas of the oesophagus,[10] and there is an association between exposure to or consumption of bracken (which is used as a foodstuff and herbal remedy in South America, China, Japan, Korea and other countries) and risk of developing oesophageal cancer.

[3] BPV-1 and BPV-2 can also induce sarcomas and fibrosarcomas in other mammals, including equids (equine sarcoid)[11] and, experimentally, rabbits, hamsters and mice[12][13] (and reviewed in[2]).

[7] Disinfection with formaldehyde of stalls, fence posts and other environmental virus reservoirs can prevent transmission.