SHORTHORN Hereford cross roan heifer weaners sold to a top of $835 at Hamilton today as breeders outbid processors and lot-feeders on selective lines.

In the first of Hamilton's two heifer sales for this week, Leon Wheeler's 'tops of the drop' pen of 21 363kg roan heifers from Condah sold on a bid of 230c/kg or $835 to Jeremy Phillips of Spingfield near Romsey.

Mr Phillips said he loved the roans and these heifers would be joined to a Charolais.

Today's sale conducted by the five independent agents attracted a yarding of 2400 2010-drop heifers and a competitive mix of buyers representing processors, feedlots, backgrounders and breeders.

In the European-cross pens, Tony Mokovitch for Hardwicks paid top price of $822 or 214c/kg for the Coffey Partnership's pen of 15 384kg Charolais-Angus heifers.

Bids of 210-225c/kg were the order of the day for most of the European-cross heifers weighing more than 280kg.

Lachie McKenzie buying for the Wahroonga feedlot, Steven Rennie for the Charlton feedlot, and Ben Davies for T&R Pastoral accounted for most of the Euro-cross cattle, although Ballarat grazier Graham Hodge was pleased to secure a pen of the 15 360kg Boolong Charolais-cross heifers on a bid of 218c/kg for $784.

Graham said he would be joining these heifers to a Limousin.

A pen of 30 339kg Glenarlie heifers topped the Angus pens with a bid of 232c/kg or $786 - a price paid by a local breeder.

Althogh Brett Lincoln of Mt Napier had a spectacular sale with his offering of 159 head selling his top pen of 29 317kg heifers at 238c/kg or $754 and a much larger pen of 75 291Kg heifers on a bid 256c/kg or $745.

A Warrnambool breeder bought the first pen while larger pen was booked to the Baulch feedlot at Coleraine.

Following on the trends from last week's prices for steers, today's heifer rates were also up 25-30 per cent.

Prominent among the buyers of heifers were the Ogilvie Group with 300 head for backgrounding and finishing, Steven Rennie who was buying for the Charlton feedlot and backgrounders, Hell's Gate feedlot at Balranald and Wayne Driscoll of Rodwells Horsham who bought 200 for a backgrounding client.

Kevin Young of Alex Scott and Staff from Warragul was also a signirficant buyer of 400 medium to lightweight for three central Gippsland clients.

"The heifers still represent a good option if you have plenty of grass," Mr Young said.

"You also have the option of either breeding or finishing them."