Animals on a beef cattle farm in Perth County are under precautionary confinement after a calf on the property tested positive for the Arctic fox strain of rabies, according to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture.

"When an animal in a herd is diagnosed with rabies... the remainder of the group that was in contact with that animal is considered at risk for an additional 40 days," said Maureen Anderson, lead veterinarian with the ministry.

"The main precaution that's taken is to make sure that those animals stay in their group and aren't dispersed or taken off the property or anything like that, and that the group is watched very carefully for any additional animals that might develop signs."

In addition, the ministry limits the number of people who come in contact with the confined animals.

"Obviously they still need to be cared for and fed and so on and so forth," she said, "but we limit that to as few people as possible and we make sure that anybody who is going to be in contact with those cattle is aware of the precautions they need to take to avoid potential exposure, should one of the cattle become positive."

The ministry is not naming the farm or releasing its address, but the local health unit says it is located in Wallace Ward, just north of Listowel, Ont.

The health unit has been working with the farmer to track down anyone who had contact with the affected calf, in order to recommend vaccination.

"But if a person wasn't involved with this animal, then there's no risk at all," said Dale Lyttle, senior public health inspector with the Perth District Health Unit.

The calf is the fourth animal to test positive for rabies in Perth County since December 2015, the other three animals being another calf, a dairy cow and a skunk.