▁often ▁ant agon ized ▁by ▁the ▁Red ▁Guy , ▁a ▁cart oon ▁Dev il ▁who ▁pos es ▁as ▁various ▁characters ▁to ▁sc am ▁them . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁pilot ▁appeared ▁as ▁an ▁episode ▁of ▁the ▁animation ▁show case ▁series ▁What ▁a ▁Cart oon !. ▁The ▁popular ity ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁short ▁allowed ▁H anna - Bar ber a ▁to ▁give ▁it ▁the ▁green ▁light ▁for ▁a ▁full ▁series , ▁which ▁premier ed ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁Origin ally , ▁Cow ▁and ▁Ch icken ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁another ▁segment ▁called ▁I ▁Am ▁We as el , ▁which ▁was ▁later ▁sp un - off ▁into ▁its ▁own ▁half - hour ▁series ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁The ▁series ▁was ▁produced ▁by ▁H anna - Bar ber a ▁Cart o ons . ▁It ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁two ▁Em my ▁Awards . ▁ ▁Prem ise ▁ ▁The ▁series ▁focus es ▁on ▁the ▁mis ad vent ures ▁of ▁two ▁unlikely ▁yet ▁somehow ▁bi ological ▁sib lings : ▁the ▁sweet - n ature d , ▁dim , ▁ec static , ▁anth rop omorphic ▁ 7 - year - old ▁Cow ▁Ste er ▁and ▁her ▁c yn ical ▁ 1 1 - year - old ▁older ▁brother ▁Ch icken ▁Ste er ▁( both ▁vo iced ▁by ▁Charlie ▁Ad ler ). ▁The ▁two ▁are ▁often ▁caught ▁in ▁esc ap ades ▁with ▁their ▁fl am boy ant ▁enemy , ▁the ▁Red ▁Guy ▁( Ad ler ), ▁who