Abstract: A hay bale handling apparatus has a screw spear, which is rotatably supported by a frame, advanced into a round hay bale by a hydraulic motor, which is mounted on the frame, rotating the spear as a vehicle, which may be a tractor, for example, having a front loader, a backhoe, or a farm loader attached thereto, for example, supporting the frame is advanced. The frame has a bearing rack supported thereon with spaced picks of relatively short length engaging portions of the bale to provide stability to the bale when the screw spear has been advanced into the center of the bale. Three screw spears of the same length may be employed instead of the single screw spear with the spears being rotated in the same direction through a sprocket and chain arrangement with one of the sprockets attached to an output shaft of the hydraulic motor. This arrangement also may use the bearing rack.