1 Livestock Research for Rural Development 25 (12) 2013 Assessing dairy potential and lamb growth performance in Algerian Rembi sheep Mokhtar Benchohra, Karim Amara*, Houari Hemida, Ahmed Yacine Kalbaza** and Hebib Aggad Laboratoire d’Hygiène et de Pathologie Animale (LHPA), PO Box 78, Tiaret University, Algeria mok.benchohra@yahoo.fr *Laboratoire d’Agro-Biotechnologie et de Nutrition en Zone Semi-aride (LABNZSA), Tiaret University, Algeria **Institute of Veterinary Science, Tiaret University, Algeria Abstract The aim of this study was to estimate milk yield of Rembi ewe by weigh- suckle-weigh (WSW) and oxytocin plus hand milking (OHM) methods during the suckling period, to determine male and female lamb weight at given age and correlation between daily milk yield and body weight gain throughout lactation. Thirty-six ewes with single lambs were used. Mean±SD age and body weight (BW) were 40.6±7.1 months and 51.2±4.7 kg. Measurement of milk yield started on day 14 after lambing and continued each 14 days to weaning. Lactation curve peaked at 2 nd week and estimated mean daily milk yield and total milk yield were 1000±323g day −1 ; 1077±306g day −1 and 62.7; 55.3 kg for OHM and WSW methods, respectively. Milk yield estimated by OHM method was 11.8% higher than WSW method during the entire lactation period. Mean weights at birth and weaning were 4.29±0.44; 4.11±0.53 and 18.8±3.05; 18.0±2.37 kg for male and female lambs, respectively. During whole lactation period (120 days) mean daily weight gain was 121±25.7 and 119±17.6 g day -1 for male and female lambs, respectively. Daily milk yield estimated using double weighing-suckling method was strongly related to lamb growth throughout lactation period. The present study brings the first data on lamb growth and milk production potentials of Rembi sheep breed showing a low milk production with acceptable male and female lamb weights at weaning. Keywords : Milk yield, hand milking, oxytocin, weigh-suckle-weigh