The dependence of the magnetostrictive properties of cobalt ferrite on the size distribution of thepowder used in deriving the samples from traditional ceramic approach is presented. Sample obtained by combining the smallest and largest particle size distributions gave the highestmagnetostriction and strain sensitivity (216 ppm and 1.34 nm/A, respectively), for measurementin parallel direction but the least (66 ppm and 0.38 nm/ A respectively) in perpendicular direction. Sample derived from largest particle size distribution gave the least magnetostriction and strain sensitivity (147 ppm and 0.61 nm/A, respectively) in parallel direction but the highest (126 ppm and 0.5 nm/A, respectively) in the perpendicular direction. The dependence of the magnetostrictive properties of cobalt ferrite on the size distribution of the powder used in deriving the samples from traditional ceramic approach is presented. Sample obtained by combining the smallest and largest particle size distributions gave the highest magnetostriction and strain sensitivity (216 ppm and 1.34 nm/A, respectively), for measurement in parallel direction but the least (66 ppm and 0.38 nm/A respectively) in perpendicular direction. Sample derived from largest particle size distribution gave the least magnetostriction and strain sensitivity (147 ppm and 0.61 nm/A, respectively) in parallel direction but the highest (126 ppm and 0.5 nm/A, respectively) in the perpendicular direction. V C 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.