Abstract: A lifting and loading apparatus installed on the front of a load-bearing vehicle for lifting and loading a hay bale or like load located forward of the vehicle by moving it up and over the vehicle cab to position it on the trailer bed. A pivoting lift frame assembly is movably mounted to a stationary frame assembled to the vehicle. The pivoting frame assembly carries load arms which are movable toward and away from one another in side-to-side relationship relative to the vehicle. The load arms are equipped with articulated gripping members that can come together and grip the hay bale. The lift frame assembly is moved to the overhead position with the load arms carrying the hay bale to deposit the hay bale on the vehicle load bed.