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In Tunisia, camel (Camelus dromedarius) is raised in extensive system. This specie was embossed in and and desert areas where other domestic species can not subsist and where nutrition is based mostly on natural range vegetation which is affected by rainfall. Although camel is the best animal for theses harsh conditions, productive and reproductive performances of this specie are strongly related to range productivity. Milk production is very limited during dry seasons and can not provide to calves requirements.

In extensive breeding system, dams calve every 24 months and rate of losses calves by predator or by milk shortage vary from 8 to 25%. During dry year, artificial nursing technique safeguard calves and insured comparable mean daily gain to those of suckling calves (593 g and 607 g, respectively).

In normal conditions, calves could be separated from dams at 3 to 7 days of age to receive reconstitute milk. This early separation allowed the insemination of 97.7 % of dams after 3 to 4 weeks postpartum. Consequently, the interval between calving was reduced to 14 months.

Theses results demonstrate the important possibilities to improve camel productivity. Higher camel production constitute the better mean to incite young breeders whose are more anxious to the profitability of their activities.